The Rose in the Wasteland
by darkladywolf
Summary: When she found him in the woods that night, she only took him in out of a sense of duty as a medic. That decision alone was enough to change both their fates. And there was no turning back..."My name is Diarmuid and I am the Lancer." *I do not own Naruto and/or Fate/Zero-Fate/Stay Night.*
1. Chapter 1

"I'll never forgive any of you for this! All of you monsters who'd disregard a knight's honor for personal gain…." There was blood running from his eyes and staining his lips red. "Let my blood stain that dream! Let the Grail be cursed! Let the wish it grants bring disaster!" He coughed, barely able to breath. "When you fall into the frying pits of Hell…Remember the rage of Diarmuid!"

And just like that, the most honorable of Lancers turned to dust.

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura dragged her feet across the road as she walked, mentally counting the remaining distance that separated her from her bed and some much needed hours of sleep. Her shoulders were slouched and her head felt as if she had been kicked by horse. She could barely keep her eyes open from exhaustion. It was a good thing that tomorrow was her day off.

The night was moonless and cloudy but the air was dry so she doubted the possibility of a storm. Her house-a cozy, tow-story building on the outskirts of Konoha, as far away from the hustle and bustle of the village and her overwhelming mother as possible-had just come into view and she felt her spirits lift at the sight of her own personal paradise.

While she usually had people over-mostly Naruto, Kakashi and Ino-her little abode was mostly quite. The neighboring homes were few and far-between, inhabited by elderly people or young families with children that preferred the vast greenness of the woods to the populated village center. Ino liked to tease her about how she was already acting like an old cat-lady but she just smiled it off. She loved waking up to the sound of chirping birds and the rustling of leaves in the morning breeze. It was moments like these that made her feel happy to be alive.

She was almost at the door of her small yard when she felt a shiver down her spine. She whipped her head around, her hair flying around her face as she surveyed the region around her. The lack of a moon wasn't helping her at all but her eyes had somewhat adjusted to the darkness due to her walk from the Hospital. The woods were deathly quiet and nothing seemed to be out of place but one could never be sure. Taking a kunai out of her pouch, she approached the first cluster of trees as silently as she could which turned out to be a challenging task. It was early autumn and some of the trees were shedding their green of summer. The forest floor was littered with dry leaves that crunched at the slightest touch.

She moved around the trees like a shadow, darting her eyes all around her, expanding her senses in case someone was preparing an ambush. She knew that she was being foolish, wandering into the woods at night all alone, looking for a possible enemy without backup or anyone even knowing about this but there were families that were sleeping soundly in their beds not too far away. There were children waiting for the sun to rise to head off to the Academy or meet up with their friends for their next adventure. She was the only shinobi in this neighborhood-though she was almost sure there was also a newly-appointed Genin a few houses from her own. In disadvantage or not, it was her duty to protect the villagers of Konoha.

It took her a couple of minutes to feel it and she berated herself for not realizing it sooner. Turning a bit to the east, she ran through the trees, following that barely-there spark of someone's chakra. Whoever the person was, she wasn't familiar with them so it probably was someone outside of the village but they didn't seem hostile either. Heck, the presence was so weak that whoever it was probably wasn't even a shinobi. A villager or an over-zealous merchant that thought it would be a good idea to wander into the woods at night without an escort that knew their way around, most likely.

She felt the presence grow slightly stronger so it was safe to assume she was getting closer. The foliage grew thinner as she jumped from branch to branch and she could make out the beginning of a small area clear of trees, though the darkness made it difficult to say anything for sure. She hid in the shadows of the trees on the edge of the clearing and her eyes were immediately drawn to the figure sitting down with their back leaning against a tree trunk. She narrowed her eyes and moved closer, stopping near a dark stain that stood out against the grass, even in darkness. Blood. Her eyes followed the trail of similar dark stains and-as she had already guessed-her gaze landed on the figure. It was definitely a man, judging from the build and the broad shoulders.

She moved closer, deciding that an injured human was no threat. His breathing was almost non-existent and she could barely make out the rise and fall of his chest. She gasped lightly at the sight of his injury. Medic instincts immediately kicking in, she kneeled beside the wounded man .There was a medium-sized hole in his chest, near his heart. Someone had pierced right through him, though she doubted it was with a sword. The wound was way too circular to have been caused by a blade. Her best guess was a spear of some sort.

Gathering chakra to her hands, she pressed them against the wound, hoping that the weapon that had caused the horrific injury hadn't nicked any vital organs, though judging by the fact that he was still alive it probably hadn't. Still, one could never be too sure. She flooded his body with healing chakra and she allowed herself a small smile of relief when she heard his breathing come less difficultly than before. The wound on his chest started to close as she mended muscles and bones and skin back together.

She looked around and noticed the sun beginning to rise in the distance. The shinobi of the village would soon rise to take up their morning patrol duties and she was sure that they wouldn't react well to a complete stranger bleeding in the middle of the woods. The wound was still fresh and that meant that the fight hadn't taken place too long ago. For all they knew, the person that did this to the poor man could still be lingering around.

Sakura sighed. As it turned out, she had little choice in the matter.

Feeding a little more healing chakra to the injury and blaming her medic side, she summoned Katsuyu motioning for the slug to be quite the moment she appeared.

"What can I do for you, Sakura-chan?" questioned the summon, always eager to please the younger female.

"Katsuyu-hime, this man is injured. I need you to carry him to my place for further healing."

"Of course, Sakura-chan but why don't you take him to the Hospital?" asked Katsuyu as her young master carefully positioned the man on her body.

"The Hospital is full right now and a bit understaffed. Not to mention, I'm not sure about the true extent of his injuries. The time it'll take for us to get him to the hospital might be time he doesn't have. So please, take him back to my house and I'll meet you there in a couple of minutes, alright?"

"Of course, Sakura-chan."

As the summon disappeared with the foreigner, Sakura stayed behind to cover the evidence of the man's presence in the clearing. The whole situation was bizarre. The injury of the man was fresh, probably inflicted a couple of hours ago, and yet there were no signs of battle in the area. The trees were intact, there were no craters littering the ground, no weapons logged in trunks. The battle had taken place elsewhere. But why was the foreigner here? Either he had won the battle and used the last remnants of his strength to move to an area where he was more likely to be found or someone had moved him. In case of the latter, why would his opponent-an enemy, most likely, unless there were more people with a Naruto-Sasuke Syndrome-go through the trouble of moving him?

So many questions made her dizzy but she pushed it back for later. Right now, she had a patient to tend to and she couldn't afford to waste time. She reached the edge of the clearing and glanced one last time over her shoulder. There wasn't much she could do about the blood stains and she was far too exhausted to use Earth Release to hide them. She would think about it later.

She reached the house in record time, glancing around to make sure that no one was watching. It was a good thing this was a civilian neighborhood. Civilians tended to sleep in. She thanked Katsuyu and the summon disappeared soon after her master reached the house. Sakura threw her Jounin vest away and ran up the stairs. She found the man in her room. Katsuyu had placed him on her bed. He was breathing with less difficulty and the rise and fall of his chest was more prominent than before and while those were good signs, she had to be sure that he was out of danger.

Her hands came alive with chakra once more and she examined him thoroughly, closing her eyes in concentration. His biggest problem-and hers-was the hole in his chest but with that no longer a threat, the rest of his injuries were superficial. A couple of bruises here, some lacerations there. Knowing that his life was out of danger, the young woman sighed in relief.

Exhausted as she was, she picked them man up either way and carried him to the bathroom. She cut his shirt with a pair of scissors and placed him against a wall as she drenched a clean cloth in warm water. She began to clean him, wiping the blood off his face and chest that was now lacking a hole. She dabbed the scratches with a cotton ball drenched in disinfectant and tied them up with clean bandages. She carried him back to her bedroom, took off his combat boots and pulled one of Kakashi's old T-shirts over his head. The boys almost always left a token or two after their visits so fortunately, men's clothing was something she wasn't lacking.

Feeling the exhaustion of the day finally catching up to her, she made the man as comfortable as she could on the bed and covered his body with a sheet to keep him warm. She pulled out a cot she kept for the nights Ino slept over and made herself comfortable on the floor beside the bed in case something went wrong, though she highly doubted it. She didn't know what she was going to do once the man woke up but she would worry about that later.

She glanced at the face of the sleeping foreigner one last time before closing her eyes and letting sleep consume her.

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura woke to the sound of the birds chirping outside her window and the sun shining brightly behind her eyelids, every trace of last night's clouds gone. She sat up and stretched her arms above her head, leaving a satisfied moan. Feeling hard wood under her, she took a moment to wonder why she had slept on the floor when the events of last night came rushing back to her. She turned around to her bed and mentally congratulated herself for not gasping and jumping up in surprise at the sight.

The foreign man was sitting up in her bed and watching her with a pair of the most majestic red-brown eyes she had ever encountered in her lifetime. Come to think of it, she couldn't remember ever encountering such an expressive pair of eyes before…She took a minute to observe her peculiar guest. The man was tall-she could tell even though she had yet to see him standing-and his shoulders were broad. His quirky dark-brown hair was swept back in an unruly fashion with a single stray lock falling down his face. He was a remarkably handsome man and he carried an air of nobility around him that commanded respect.

Their staring match came to an end when the man bowed his head and spoke. "Thank you." His voice was coarse but she could tell that it was deep and smooth like velvet. "For saving my life, I am forever in your debt."

The young woman straightened her back and allowed a small smile to grace her lips. "Now, now. No need to go to such measures. You don't thank the sun for rising. I was merely doing my duty as a medic."

He looked up at the word 'duty', studying her face for any trace of dishonesty, though he found none in the woman's green eyes. He nodded at his savior, going as far as to allow himself to offer her a small smile of his own that made hers widen.

"How are you feeling?" asked the girl, sweeping her gaze over his bandages for any sign that any of his wounds had reopened.

"I am fine, thank you for your concern." answered the man. "How did I come to be here?"

The young woman was taken by surprise by his politeness, though she hid it well with a smile and a nod. "I found you in the woods last night. You were injured, though I could see no obvious signs of struggle. I brought here after tending to your wounds."

The man nodded, though she could tell that he was deep in thought.

Sakura stood from the floor and put the cot back to its place before turning to the man once more. "Your wounds are still healing and you haven't regained your strength. I'll prepare something for you to eat and perhaps you can tell me more about your story."

"I do not wish to trouble you anymore."

The girl shook her head in amusement. "I told you before. It's my duty to tend to the injured and I intend to honor it until my last breath."

His incredible eyes studied her to the point that she started feeling uneasy under his intense gaze but she didn't show it. After a couple of seconds he averted his eyes and nodded as if acknowledging her and her role.

She was almost out the door when she remembered that he was still a nameless stranger despite their short conversation on gratitude. She turned around and was once again taken aback by the intensity of his eyes. "May I know your name?" she requested softly. "Mine is Sakura."

It took him a few seconds to answer. "My name is Diarmuid and I am the Lancer."

 **THE END**

 **Hey there guys! How are you doing?**

 **So, I was sitting in front of my computer, listening to music and complaining about how little of this fandom actually exists-or better, doesn't exist at all-when I suddenly opened a blank document and started typing. I had thought about writing a story before but I was hesitant due to other stories I am currently writing and are in need of updates. I couldn't help it though so…Here it is!**

 **I just love Diarmuid. He is one of my favorites despite his rotten luck. I have to say, the Lancer's design in Fate/Zero is so much better than the one in Fate/Stay Night, in my opinion. I don't know, I just like Diarmuid so much better even though FST's Lancer appears to be stronger.**

 **Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. This will remain a one-shot for now but I won't mark it as complete just yet. If it is well-received and gets enough feedback then I will consider adding more chapters.**

 **So please READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Lots of love!**


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura sighed heavily as she prepared her peculiar guest's meal. It was quite a situation she had landed herself in. Tsunade was going to have her head when she found out. What she was doing was against every rule about self-preservation that they had been taught. Here she was, nursing a complete stranger back to health, no questions asked. He could be an Akatsuki or a fugitive or god-knows-what else. He hadn't tried anything yet and his behavior was anything but hostile-heck, the man was so polite it was almost unreal- but one could never be sure when it came to survival. Damn her medical instincts.

She wasn't sure that leaving him alone in her bedroom was a good idea but she had to prepare his meal and she didn't want him out of that bed until he was completely healed. She had to admit that his composedness had surprised her. Such a collected individual, he seemed so in-control of his emotions that she almost felt jealous. His manner of speaking was strange as well. So lyrical, so…..out of this era. He had an air of nobility in the way he held himself even in his condition that made her wonder whether he was in reality a nobleman. It would explain a few things, surely.

She sliced the apples and oranges into symmetrical pieces and placed them orderly on a plate before putting it on the tray beside the bowl of rice. It wasn't much but it was the only thing she could provide on such a short notice. Not to mention that the only other thing close to food in her cupboards was instant ramen. Her patient needed to regain his strength and she could hardly call that a nutritious meal.

Sighing once more, she picked up the tray and left the kitchen, ascending the stairs to her room where her guest was waiting for her. She found him lying on the bed asleep and it was with satisfaction that she noted his steady breathing. Not having the heart to wake him, she smiled softly and placed the tray of food on her nightstand before pulling the covers over his body.

"All's good now, rest." she whispered and turned around, missing the way a pair of intense half-lidded eyes followed her every move.

With one last glance at the sleeping man, she walked into the adjoined bathroom and shut the door. She desperately needed a shower since she still hadn't rinsed off the sweat of the previous day and she was getting itchy. Preparing the water to the appropriate temperature, she stepped into the shower and under the spray of water that immediately soaked up her hair and skin.

' _What am I going to do with him?'_ she thought as she lathered her pink locks. _'I can't keep him here, yet he doesn't seem to have anywhere else to go. He hasn't asked for any friend or family member to be notified that he's alive in Konoha.'_ She sighed deeply _. 'This is so complicated. How am I going to explain this to the boys and Tsunade-shisou?'_ Now, that was a problem. _'Man, Naruto is going to throw such a fit…'_

She rinsed her hair before moving on to soaping and scrubbing her skin. _'I don't know anything about this guy…Who is he really? How did he end up in the woods with a hole in his chest? I saw no headband, so there is no way of knowing his affiliation with a village without asking directly. Is he even affiliated with any of the Hidden Villages? What if he's a rogue?'_

Her head was beginning to hurt from all the questions. _'What have I gotten myself into?'_ She sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that morning. _'Well, what's done is done. There's no turning back.'_ Turning off the water, she stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body before stepping out of the bathroom and into her room for a change of clothes. Her guest was fast asleep so no harm done. With her hair dripping, she walked to her closet and started rummaging through for a pair of comfortable shorts and a t-shirt when a voice made her freeze in place.

"You are going to catch a cold if you walk around like that in a room with an open window."

Feeling her face heat up, she turned around slowly, clutching her towel so tightly that her knuckles turned white. It appeared that her guest wasn't as asleep as she would have liked. She found him eating his meal carefully, formally one would say. His eyes were averted elsewhere to preserve her dignity and she was thankful for that. The situation was embarrassing enough as it was. With an embarrassed 'eek' and red in the face, Sakura quickly grabbed a pair of clothes and ran to the bathroom, missing the amused smile on her guest's face.

She emerged a few minutes later with her blush still in place. Diarmuid had finished his meal so she silently lifted the tray from her nightstand where he had placed it and took it back down to the kitchen. When she returned to the room, she found him standing and gazing out her window. She had been right. He really was a tall man. An impressive one, she would say what with his abnormally handsome face and remarkable build. The kind of man that made Ino lose sleep.

"You shouldn't be standing. Your body needs to heal fully before you attempt any form of physical exercise." she commented.

He smiled, though she could barely see it. "Thank you for your concern." he answered before turning to face her. "Please accept my apology for before." he said with an apologetic bow. "It was uncalled for."

Realizing what he was referring to, Sakura shook her head. "No need to be sorry. It was my fault anyway." She smiled. "I hope the food was to your satisfaction."

"It was most enjoyable, thank you."

"You are strange you know." she commented and motioned for him to get off his feet and onto the bed as she took a seat on the floor, crossing her legs.

He followed her advice and sat down on the bed across from her. "How so?" he said with a raised eyebrow.

"I can't pinpoint it exactly. You just seem so…out of this era."

Diarmuid seemed amused. "That's an interesting way to put it. Tell me more."

Sakura placed a finger on her chin and looked at him thoughtfully. "Your clothes, for one. While the difference is subtle, your attire matches none of the villages I have been to."

The man shrugged. "That is such a superficial observation….."

"And yet a credible one. Not to mention that you are awfully polite."

He seemed rather surprised at that. "Why is it that politeness causes you such bewilderment? Are people not polite around here?"

"It's not that people are rude. It's just that politeness is something you don't usually find around here. Especially among men. Most males I'm familiar with are brash and kind of rough around the edges. People are too caught up in everyday life to make room for politeness. It's a noble quality to have, really."

He studied her with those incredible eyes that made her even more self-conscious than she already was. "You appear to possess it, though."

The young woman chuckled. "Some people would disagree with you and I can't really blame them. I am not that polite of a person, especially when I'm at my wits end."

"Politeness and nobility are not about winning people over with words and a silver tongue. It's about doing your duty and staying true to your ideals no matter what."

Sakura stared at him before nodding. "Ah, I guess you are right." She smiled at him. "How did you end up in the woods anyway?"

He immediately sobered up. "That is a question I'd like to have answered as well."

"Where do you come from then? Perhaps I can help you find your way back to your family and friends."

"No family, no friends."

' _No family, no friends?'_ Sakura frowned. "That complicates things. Is there anything you can tell me that would help me find you a way back home?"

"I'm afraid that's not an option."

The girl looked up at him in bewilderment. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"My home is long gone and I can never return back to it."

The young woman was struck speechless by the revelation. A wave of sadness washed over her. How awful it had to be…Not having a place to call home. Instilled in their minds and hearts from the early days of the Academy, the importance of home was known to every shinobi alive. Everything that they did was for the well-being and prosperity of their village. It was the ultimate duty of every shinobi. Personal feelings aside, the village always came first. It was their anchor, their safe haven. A destination to look forward to reaching every time they departed on missions. Not having a place to call home, friends and family to return to….It was every honorable shinobi's worst nightmare.

And Diarmuid…Diarmuid had nothing.

Her heart went out to the man and she had to blink back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. Looking back, perhaps she should have kept her mouth shut-it would have saved her a lot of problems and a whole lot of heartache-but the words came out before she could stop them.

"You could stay here." she said, taking the man completely by surprise if the way his head snapped up was any indication.

"What?"

"You could stay here. I mean, if you really have nowhere else to go, Konoha could become your new beginning. And I wouldn't mind letting you stay here for a while until you get back on your feet."

His eyes searched hers for any sign of dishonesty, though he could have spent an eternity looking and he would have seen none. In his lifetime, he had dealt with traitorous masters, jealous women, powerful enemies, the Fourth Holy Grail War and yet Diarmuid knew not how to handle this situation. There were so many questions-that he doubted would ever be answered-plaguing his mind that he didn't know where to begin. How had he come here? What exactly was this place? What about the people here? Could this be his second chance? Could it be that for once the Fates had looked kindly upon him and granted him his wish of a simple yet honorable life?

He shifted his gaze to the green-eyed woman sitting before him with her exotic pink locks framing her young face. This selfless woman that had just opened her arms and her life to him, a complete stranger. Hadn't she already done enough? Wasn't saving his life enough? A life that wasn't even supposed to exist after the events in Fuyuki. Was her sense of duty so strong? More importantly…..Did he have a choice? In a place he didn't know, would he survive on his own, without her to guide him in this new place, this new life? If he refused her proposal, how long would it before death found him? He had no one to turn to, no person to call friend, he had no master-though he was getting tired of those-no purpose in life, he didn't even have his spears.

"Sakura…." he started, making her look up at him. "Thank you. I'll find a way to repay you, one way or another."

The woman giggled. "There is nothing to repay me for, silly. They do say that once you have saved someone's life you are responsible for them, right? I wouldn't want all the trouble I went through to save you gone to waste." She smiled widely.

"I don't feel good about imposing on you any further."

"There is no reason to feel like that. Let's just say that I decided to get a roommate. It does get a bit lonely out here."

The man smiled and shook his head. "It will be an honor living under the same roof as you."

"Say that to me a couple of months from now!" she joked lightheartedly. "Well then, Diarmuid, welcome to Konoha!"

 **TBC**

 **I know, not much happens in this chapter. It is that transitional chapter between the prologue and the main story. It is boring but necessary and this certainly was a conversation that had to be had between our two protagonists. So, I had to make Lancer stay close to Sakura somehow, and what better way than to have her host him for a while "until he gets back on his feet?" After all, our dear Lancer has nowhere else to go.**

 **I still haven't decided on the form this story is going to take. I'm considering making this a multi-chaptered fanfic where each chapter shows 'snapshots', you could say, from their life together-not in the way of a normal story where each chapter is the continuation of the previous-that will however be relevant to each other and follow a common timeline until they escalate to the epilogue. That has yet to be decided, though it will probably be so. As you have probably guessed by now-at least those of you who have been following my stories-I have a knack for the weirdest pairings and I enjoy-both writing and reading-crossovers much more than regular fics. I find crossovers so much more interesting and challenging!**

 **Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter! Until next time, READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Lots of love!**


	3. Chapter 3

"You are so hopeless….."

Sakura glared at the male watching her in amusement from his place against the kitchen counter. "Hey, instead of sitting over there doing nothing but irritate the hell out of me, why don't you make yourself useful and set the table? The food is almost ready."

"You call that food? I have seen lichen looking more inviting than your mess over there." he commented with a smirk, ducking just in time to avoid the fork that she threw at him.

One month into this cohabitation and Sakura had to admit that they were pretty compatible roommates. Diarmuid was irritating at times and knew how to ruffle her feathers but he was kind, always eager to help with every aspect of everyday life and made her laugh. Not to mention that the man had mad cooking skills. He had cooked for her before and she had to admit that her culinary skills were nothing compared to his. Really, the apron and the spoon suited him nicely…A bit too nicely.

Their routine was simple. She was in charge of breakfast and he made sure there was always dinner waiting for her after work. On the occasion that she didn't stay at the Hospital until late, they would cook together and watch a movie or share a couple of stories. He insisted on helping with the housework and had taken full responsibility of his personal space and of cleaning after himself.

Her team and shishou still knew nothing about him but she had the inclination that Ino, of all people, was beginning to grow suspicious. Their get-togethers had been reduced to a minimum and the excuse of 'too much work at the Hospital' just wasn't enough anymore. She would have to reveal him eventually but she needed more time to devise a plan and think of a believable backstory that would be hard to contradict. If anyone found out about how he had really appeared in the village then it wouldn't be long before the ANBU snatched him and led him to the Interrogation Unit. She wouldn't dream of leaving him alone with Ibiki even for a minute.

Of course she hadn't revealed anything vital about her village or any specific details about her profession-he only knew that she was a doctor-and she kept her medical and ninjutsu scrolls hidden but she could say that he was extremely close to earning her trust. The man thought so highly of honesty and honor, it was difficult not to feel at ease with him.

Her team's mission had come just in time-they wouldn't be back for another month or so-and that left her with plenty of time to get her thoughts in a line. Diarmuid was very understanding of the whole situation and was aware that the rules of her village were strict when it came to letting outsiders in but that didn't lessen her guilt over the fact that she was keeping him inside the house almost like a prisoner.

Other than that, life went by smoothly and with his wounds completely healed, Diarmuid had taken permanent residence in her guestroom. Really, the man was a constant contradiction to the male stereotype she was used to. Where most males she knew were brash and loud, he was extremely polite and held himself with dignity. Most men she was familiar with knew just about the basics regarding personal hygiene and yet Diarmuid was almost annoyingly clean. He helped her with the housework and made sure to clean after himself, not wanting to cause her more trouble. Really, the man was the reason she had regained her faith in the existence of chivalry.

"You are going to burn that."

His voice broke her out of her thoughts and her green eyes snapped back to the chicken cooking in the frying pan. With a swift move she took it off the fire and used a fork to place the filets on their plates that were already half-filled with vegetables and rice. She placed the ceramics on the table and motioned for her roommate to take a seat.

With a whispered 'itadakimasu', they picked up their chopsticks and began enjoying their dinner silently as it usually happened unless Sakura had some fascinating story from her day at the Hospital to share.

"What do you know?" he commented after a while. "Your cooking is actually edible."

The young woman glared at him, completely aware of his teasing nature. "Oh, shut up!"

He chuckled in amusement at her scowl and smirked at her widely.

Comfortable silence fell around them and it was a couple of minutes before Sakura broke it. "Ne, Diarmuid…..I've been meaning to ask you something but I guess I'd forgotten about it until now."

The man shrugged. "Sure."

"During our first actual meeting, when you were introducing yourself, you said you were the Lancer. What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm surprised it took you so long to ask that."

"Well, I'm asking now."

The man leaned back in his chair. "Well, milady, that title stems from the fact that I happen to be an extremely talented spear-wielding warrior. My spears struck terror in my enemies, hence the honorable name of Lancer." Really, how else was he supposed to explain? He couldn't just say 'during a magical war, I was the Servant to a treacherous, arrogant son a bitch that should have cost me my life but hey, no big deal.' Nope, no way.

"No kidding…" she said disbelievingly, munching on a piece of chicken.

"Hey! I'm being truthful here!" he protested, almost in a whine.

"So, where are your spears now?"

"Gone. I broke the one in order to assist a fellow warrior and the other was….lost." He sighed wistfully. "I really miss my Gae Dearg and my Gae Buidhe."

"Gae Dearg and Gae Buidhe…" she tested the names on her tongue. "Were those the names of your spears?"

"They were, milady. Fine companions those spears were."

"So, Lord Lancer…..Can I really rely on you to protect me from the evil of the world?" said the woman teasingly, making sure to sweeten her voice.

Not one to back down, Dairmuid jumped to his feet, making a show of bowing. "Fear not, fair lady for you have a hero living under your roof!"

"My, my…My own personal hero. If that isn't every girl's dream then I don't know what is."

Dairmuid smirked at her. "Your incredibly handsome personal hero."

Sakura snorted. "Cocky, aren't we?"

"I prefer the term 'self-aware.'"

"Are all heroes as full of themselves as you are?"

"Me? Full of myself?" He chuckled. "You should have met Gilgamesh."

"Gilga-who?"

"Gilgamesh. A man from my past."

"Oh, really?" asked the woman with a raised eyebrow. "Was he really more arrogant than you are?"

"Arrogant is a flagrant understatement. He used to wear a golden armor decorated with rubies and demanded that we request permission to even look upon him. What was it that he used to call us? Mongrels, rabid dogs."

"Heh, sounds like my kind of guy." said Sakura sarcastically.

Diarmuid looked scandalized. "Your taste in men is appalling."

"As is my taste in roommates."

The red-eyed man crossed his arms across his chest. "I'm not one to brag, but I'll have you know that many women would kill to be in your place and have me living under the same roof."

"Right….." The young woman seemed unconvinced. "And why would that be?"

Diarmuid approached her and lowered his head closer to hers.

Sakura craned her neck back with a blush coloring her cheeks. "W-What are you doing?"

"See this?" he said, pointing to a spot under the corner of his right eye. "This is a curse."

The woman stared at him. "That's a mole."

"No, it's a curse. A powerful one. It was placed on me a long time ago. It makes women fall in love with me at first sight."

Silence followed before Sakura burst out in almost uncontrollable laughter.

"Hey, this is no laughing matter! It was not by chance that I was called Diarmuid of the Love Spot!"

"You were called _what_?" The woman's laughter grew louder, to the point that even breathing became a challenge.

"Hey, stop! A curse is no jest!"

The girl ignored him and continued to cackle, clutching her sides. She wiped a few tears from her eyes and looked up at him, unable to stop a couple of more giggles from escaping. "Oh really? Then it has to be the lousiest curse in the history of curses since you don't see me head over heels for you. And I've been seeing your mug for the past month."

He studied her in thought. "That's a bit peculiar, I must say. Usually, it doesn't take more than a glance for women to become attracted to me."

Sakura smirked. "I'm that special then…"

Diarmuid's shoulders slumped. "You are so hard to convince, Sakura…..To think that I got killed because of this thing."

The woman looked up in surprise at that, her previous amusement momentarily forgotten. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what you are thinking. Because of this curse, my previous master…killed me because he thought I was trying to steal his fiancé away from him, though the situation was nothing like that, I assure you."

"But you're not dead."

"No I'm not. And that's the bizarre part. I had a spear pushed through the center of my chest. I should have died."

Sakura didn't really know what to say, shocked as she was by that revelation. He had been killed by his master…and yet here he was, standing in her kitchen drawing breath, as alive and vivid as the rays of the sun. How was that possible?

' _Come on, Sakura. It's not like you haven't seen a person knocking on death's door suddenly jump up. Take Naruto for example. The baka does that on a regular basis.'_ she thought, looking at the dark-haired male. _'It was probably his wound. Such a severe injury is bound to cause hallucinations not to mention leave the individual with no hope of salvation. It was probably the fear of dying that every person feels in the face of great peril that made him think like that. Yeah, that makes sense.'_

The woman shook her head and grinned. "Well, whatever the case, I'm glad I found you in the woods that night."

Diarmuid stared at her for a few seconds before smiling, his red eyes clashing with green. "Ah, I'm glad you found me too…."

 **TBC**

 **Hey there guys! So, how did you like this chapter? A little bit of flirting between our heroes but nothing extraordinary. As far as Diarmuid's curse is concerned, the actual legend states that the curse was placed on his forehead but the mole works perfectly fine so….yeah. More conversation between our protagonists and Sakura finally gained a bit more insight in Diarmuid's past. I know, not much here but we need chapters such as this to build up a healthy relationship, otherwise it might come out rushed and we certainly don't want that-I know I don't! Have some patience and things are going to become more interesting from now on!**

 **Anyway, thank you for your wonderful reviews. Your kind words keep me going and I really appreciate the time and effort you put into reviewing. Reading everything you have written puts a smile on my face every single time.**

 **So, until next time, READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Lots of love!**


	4. Chapter 4

For all his was worth, Diarmuid had never considered the pleasure sleeping in could bring a person. For a knight that lived to follow a master, resting was a luxury. That feeling of peace that came with keeping his eyes closed and enjoying the rays of the sun on his face and the sounds of nature from outside had been foreign to him. Until about two months ago.

His days with Sakura were unlike what he had expected and the polar opposite of his previous life. It was strange, not following orders and for once following his own desires.  
It was a concept almost completely foreign to him but he wouldn't lie by saying that it didn't bring his heart peace.

Sakura was a great hostess. She always made sure that he was pleased and his needs were met. She led a simple but honorable life, doing her duty and staying true to her ideals. It was admirable and slightly uncanny how much she reminded him of Arturia Pendragon, their green eyes not being the only trait they had in common. Kindness, honor, stubbornness, intelligence, a strong sense of duty….They would have gotten on well with each other.

Despite their shared characteristics, he could easily pick out fundamental differences. Where Saber had been hard to read, Sakura wore her heart on her sleeve. The King of Knights rarely ever lost her cool while the pink-haired woman was as explosive-he could only imagine what would happen if Sakura and Gilgamesh ever met, as impossible as that was- as she was gentle. And he couldn't help but find that refreshing. He had grown tired of people hiding behind masks. Take himself for example. He had always thought that following his Master's orders would eventually earn him the respect he deserved. It had only earned him his own spear through his chest. Had it not been for Sakura finding him when she had, he would have bled out in those woods, lamenting his insulted honor and the injustice he had been oh so open-handedly offered by his Master.

He had always thought that he was meant to live and die with a spear in his hand, fighting for his ideals and earning an honorable death in battle. That used to be the life he envisioned for himself. Perhaps short but true to his heart. He had never even considered just how equally pleasing a simple yet honest life could be.

Living with Sakura was easy, it almost came naturally to him. He was surprised by how effortless it was to please that woman. She smiled at every little thing and knowing that he was pleased with his new life made her happy. It was extraordinary, really. A quality few people knew how to appreciate and even fewer possessed. He was glad it was Sakura who had found him. Despite having lost everything, living with her made it easier to cope and adjust. It was almost unreal that it had only been two months. He felt as if he had known her for so much longer…Perhaps, they had met before, in a previous lifetime under completely different circumstances…..

His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp sound from downstairs. Getting up from his mattress, Diarmuid walked to his slightly ajar door. Listening carefully, he realized that someone was knocking on the door. Quite fervently, at that. Sighing heavily at the disturbance of his otherwise serene morning, the man moved back to his bed, knowing that it was Sakura's job to open her house's door. Aside from hiding, Diarmuid felt he had no right to judge who would enter the home of his hostess.

When the knocking continued, the person at the door seemingly not willing to let up his attempts at waking the occupants of the house, Diarmuid stood and left the confines of his bedroom. He was a light sleeper by nature and so was Sakura. It was kind of strange that she still hadn't answered the door. Walking silently to her room, he glanced inside for any sign of the woman. Perhaps she had left earlier this morning without him taking notice, though that was highly unlikely.

He found her curled on her bed, hugging her pillow tightly. Her breathing was slow and even, indicating a state of deep sleep. If the insistent knocking on their door hadn't woken her, he could only imagine how drained she really was from her job at the Hospital. He shook his head, pulling the discarded covers over her body to keep her warm and smiling at the way she immediately snuggled into the warmth.

He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him to keep anything from disturbing her much needed rest and descended the stairs, all the while glaring in the direction of the front door. He came to stand in front of it, unsure of what to do. Should he open? Yes, it was true that no one other than Sakura knew of his presence and he was aware that his hostess preferred it that way. It saved them from unnecessary trouble and questions that perhaps they didn't have the answers to. But should this knocking continue, he was sure that the young woman would be woken and her much needed sleep disrupted.

"Oi, Sakura-chan! Open up!"

He raised an eyebrow at the boisterous voice, followed by more knocking.

"Keep it down, Naruto. Perhaps she's sleeping." said a second voice.

"What do you mean she's sleeping? Sakura-chan never sleeps this late."

"Well, imagine how tired she must be then."

' _Finally, someone that can use his brain.'_ thought Diarmuid as he continued to listen to the two men's conversation.

"But I want to see her!" whined the first male. "Come on Kakashi-sensei! It's been two months! I've missed her. Haven't you missed your only female student?"

' _Who is this Naruto?'_

"Don't try to play the guilt card on me Naruto. You know I have missed Sakura as well but-"

"No buts!" The knocking resumed. "Sakura-chan, open up!"

Deciding that his hostess's sleep was more important than having to deal with two loud teammates, Diarmuid pulled the door open. "Is there anything I can help you with gentlemen?"

Silence fell around them as both males stared at him in shock before the younger blonde sent him a toxic glare, pointing an accusing finger at him. "Who the hell are you? And why the fuck are you shirtless?!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

Looking back, perhaps he should have kept his mouth shut. Or worn a T-shirt.

Diarmuid stumbled back to avoid the punch that was aimed at his face.

"Who are you, you bastard? What are you doing in Sakura-chan's house?!" The blonde haired-guy was positively fuming and if looks could kill, Diarmuid would have been reduced to nothing but ashes.

"Now, now. There is no need to be alarmed." said the spear-wielder, trying to placate the man. "I am Sakura's friend."

The blond guy, Naruto, pointed an accusing finger at him. "The hell you are! You can't be Sakura-chan's friend! I would have known it if you were!"

Diarmuid frowned disapprovingly. "That is not the kind of language that should be used in a lady's house."

Naruto momentarily faltered in his anger before he resumed glaring at the brunette. "Spit it out! Where is Sakura-chan? What the hell did you do to her?!"

"I feel insulted that you think I'd harm Sakura." said the red-eyed man. "And lower your voice, if you will. She is resting in her bedroom."

"And how do _you_ know that?"

"I was in there with her just a moment ago." answered Diarmuid, completely unaware of how inappropriate his words combined with his choice of attire-or rather, lack of it-would seem to a person unaware of their living arrangements.

"You….. _WHAT_?!"

 **TBC**

 **And so the big moment has finally arrived! Diarmuid got to meet Naruto. Talk about a bad first impression…I always felt that it would be like Naruto to have such a reaction to a man in Sakura's life. He always was overprotective of her, so I'm sure that finding a shirtless downright gorgeous man like Diarmuid in her house would actually be enough to give him a heart attack.**

 **Also, something I wrote above has been swimming in my mind since I re-read the chapter.** _ **"Perhaps they had met before, in a previous lifetime, under completely different circumstances….."**_ **I can't help but think that this would make an awesome AU story. The idea has rooted itself in my mind so it is quite possible that I will start another DiarmuidXSakura story after this one is done.**

 ***shifts to deep, dramatic voice***

 **A story unfolding during the Middle Ages. Brave young warrior Diarmuid meets Sakura, a slave captured in a raid of a neighboring kingdom, meant to be given to Lord Fionn to do as he pleases with her. A love forbidden by the laws of a vain King, riddled with danger and passion.**

 **Or something like that, anyway. If you think the idea is interesting tell me and I'll give it some serious thought.**

 **Until next time, READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Lots of love!**


	5. Chapter 5

Living away from the busy village center had its perks and Sakura could easily confirm that. Waking up to the sounds of nature right outside her window was a joy in her life. Perhaps a small one but a joy nonetheless. Those few minutes she usually sat and simply enjoyed the peace and quiet were rejuvenating and just the right way to start another busy day.

Ever since moving to the outskirts of Konoha, Sakura couldn't remember a morning she had been disturbed to the point of irritation. Sure, her team had that annoying tendency of showing up uninvited but those visits were mostly about missions. There was also the occasional ANBU with orders to fetch her from the Hokage but those were the pretty silent types and always waited for her to finish her morning ritual before delivering their message.

Even after inviting Diarmuid in her home and life, her roommate was a pretty discreet guy and had picked up on her routine rather quickly, making it all the more effortless to live with him.

That's why, when she woke up that morning to loud thuds coming from downstairs, Sakura couldn't help but groan in her pillow and wonder what the hell had happened to cause such a commotion. Throwing the covers aside-strange, she couldn't remember pulling them over her body-she got up from the bed and walked over to her bathroom to splash some water on her face before briefly running a comb through her hair. Whatever was going on downstairs was of no threat to her or her roommate. The traps on her door and windows had alerted her of no foreign chakra so nobody had broken in.

Hearing the sounds growing louder as she descended the stairs, she froze in place when she heard conversation. Really, she would have recognized that obnoxious voice even among a thousand people.

"You bastard!"

She felt panic rise inside her at detecting three different chakra signatures, two of which belonged to her teammates.

' _Why are they here?'_ she thought anxiously. _'The mission was supposed to end a week from now! What am I supposed to tell them? I'm not ready for this!'_

Sighing heavily to calm her nerves, Sakura took a couple of deep breaths. _'Well, there's no turning back now. Might as well get this over with.'_ She descended the rest of the stairs and nearly had a heart attack at the sight she was met with.

Naruto had a kunai pressed up against a shirtless Diarmuid's jugular, though the spear-wielder appeared calm despite the cold metal dangerously close to slicing his neck. Kakashi was standing a few feet away, shaking his head and seemingly unsure of what to do.

Regaining her breath, Sakura decided it was high time she stepped in before things got any more out of control. Coughing loudly to make her presence known, she steeled herself for the barrage of questions she was sure would follow.

"Sakura-chan!"

"What the hell is going on, Naruto?"

"I found this bastard in your house!"

"So?"

"What do you mean 'so'?"

She crossed her arms across her chest. "Did it even occur to you that perhaps _I_ was the one to invite him in?"

The blonde Hokage-wannabe seemed at a loss of words. "But you….you can't!"

The young woman raised an eyebrow. "And why the hell not? Don't I have the right to invite a friend in my house?"

Naruto seemed scandalized. "He's your _friend_?! I haven't even seen the guy's face before!"

Sakura scowled. She descended the last two steps and came to stand beside her red-eyed roommate. She jabbed her forefinger in Naruto's chest and pushed him back to put some distance between his kunai and her guest's neck. "What makes you think that you know every single one of my friends, Naruto?"

"But….how?" wondered the blond jinchuriki, his grip on the deadly blade faltering as he took a couple of steps back in surprise.

"Diarmuid is a childhood friend of mine. His father was a merchant from Rock. They moved to Konoha, getting the house right across my parents' when I was five and Diarmuid was seven. They stayed here for about three to four years before moving back to Rock. During that time, he and I became really good friends." said the pink-haired woman, reciting the story they had agreed on perfectly and making her partner-in-crime marvel at how effortless it was for her to make the fabricated story seem completely believable.

"But why is he here now?"

Sakura sighed heavily in exasperation. "Does he need to have a reason for visiting an old friend? Diarmuid contacted me a few weeks ago and I offered to host him for a while. Do some catching up. As you can see, I have plenty of room."

"Why am I only hearing of this now?"

The green-eyed medic glared at him. "First of all, you were away on a mission with limited ways of contact and since when do I even need to request your permission to do anything? Second, you were pointing a kunai at my guest while in my house which is unacceptable."

"Hey, I had no idea you even knew him!"

"It makes no difference. Even if you had no idea, you still shouldn't have pointed your blade at an unarmed man who posed you no credible threat. It's unfair and dishonorable. Not to mention that you should have trusted my judgement. I don't just allow anyone to cross my doorstep, Naruto."

"But…..But….." The blonde jinchuriki was at a loss. "He's not even wearing a shirt!"

' _Thanks for reminding me.'_ thought Sakura, stealing a glance at the man's chiseled chest but not daring to voice the thought. "A person's choice of sleeping attire is none of your concern."

"But Sakura-chan!" He turned to the grey-haired man standing a couple of steps to his left. "Back me up here, Kakashi-sensei!"

The pink-haired woman turned to her former teacher. "Anything you'd like to say?"

The grey-haired man raised his hands in mock surrender and smiled awkwardly. "Don't drag me into this, Naruto. Sakura is a big girl. She knows how to take care of herself."

"But she brought a boy in her house!"

Diarmuid cringed at the word 'boy'. _'Does he even realize that I'm older than he is?'_

"What about it, you baka!" growled the woman, her eyes flashing dangerously. "You barge into my house all the time! Are you not a male?"

"I'm different!"

"Oh? How so?"

Naruto seemed scandalized. "We've been teammates since the Academy! I'm supposed to protect you from guys like him!"

"May I say that this is starting to become a bit insulting?" said Diarmuid with a small frown.

"Nobody was talking to you!"

"Cut it out, Naruto! Diarmuid's right. You better watch your mouth. He did nothing to wrong you. You have no right to insult him, especially in my presence."

"But Sakura-chan!"

"I said cork it!" growled the green-eyed medic. "My house, my rules. Now, get out. You've disturbed our morning enough as it is."

"I can't leave you alone with him!"

"I've been alone with him for the past two months, Naruto. Believe me, nothing will happen that hasn't already happened." she said, adding the last part just to spite him. She was aware that she was most likely fueling a huge fire but the obnoxious shinobi kind of deserved it.

"What?!"

"Get out before I punch you all the way to Suna!"

Choosing that moment to step in before his female student decided to deliver on her threat, Kakashi grabbed Naruto by the collar of his shirt and started dragging him out. "Come on, Naruto. I think it's time we took our leave. It was nice seeing you Sakura. I have to hand in our mission report today but how about we meet up for ramen sometime? Bring your friend along."

"It was good seeing you too, sensei. I'll send you a clone about those dinner plans."

"Kakashi-sensei! You can't invite him to our get-together! He's not part of Team 7-"

The door was shut, drowning out Naruto's protesting and Sakura sighed in relief. Finally, some peace and quiet.

"That was…..interesting."

Sakura snorted. "You think?" she said, stealing another glance at the spear-wielder's sculpted body. _'Bad thoughts!'_

"Well, it could have been worse, right?" said the man, scratching the back of his head in a rather endearing way.

Sakura groaned. "Trust me, the worse is just about to begin."

 **TBC**

 **So another chapter is done and Sakura just barely managed to fend off Naruto's protectiveness. Can't really blame him though! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thank you for all your wonderful reviews.**

 **I really didn't get that many opinions on my idea for an AU (if you don't remember what it's about then please spare a moment to check out the Author's Note on chapter 4) so if you think it's interesting and worth a shot, leave a commentary review or send me a message with any suggestions you may have. I respond to every message so feel free to express your opinion either way. I really can't afford to start a story that nobody's interested in-not with my hands as full as they are now.**

 **Anyway, thank you again! Until next time, READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Lots of love!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Really, one would think that you feel embarrassed to be seen in my company with how anxious you are."

Sakura snapped her eyes up at him and though he was smiling teasingly at her, she couldn't help the need to reassure him that rose inside her. "Don't talk like that. You know perfectly well that it is anything but that."

"Then what has you so unsettled, my Lady?" he said, making a show of bowing in hopes of lifting her spirits. Since moving in with her, if there was one thing that could make Diarmuid's mood go sour, it was seeing Sakura upset.

"I just don't want to make you uncomfortable."

He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh? And why is that?"

Sakura sighed. "Look, now that we're going out, people are going to see us. People that know _me_ pretty well and don't know _you_ at all. They are going to start asking questions."

"Is that a problem?"

"Is it not?" She looked up at him in confusion at his relaxed expression. "People can be pretty indiscreet. I know my friends are going to be."

Diarmuid smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure that stems solely from the fact that they care about your well-being. If it puts your mind at ease, I'm pretty good with people myself. I'm sure there will be no problem."

Sakura stared in his red eyes hopefully. "So, this isn't unpleasant to you in any way?"

"Unpleasant? Not at all." he said, taking her hand in his and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "As lovely as it is living under this roof, you've been confined in this house because of me long enough. Let's just go out for a while. It will lessen my guilt and give me a chance to observe your world."

Sakura was silent for a while before she looked up at him with a smile and squeezed his hand in return. "Yeah, let us go."

' _Here goes nothing…'_

XxxOxOxOxxX

Stealing a glance behind her shoulder, Sakura was painfully aware of the stares following their backs as they walked through the busy village center. She was sure that by now the whole village knew of the gorgeous man escorting their little pink-haired medic around town. She hadn't dared hope that they would pass unnoticed in the first place.

A couple of weeks ago she had visited a clothes store to grab a change of clothes or two for Diarmuid since he couldn't go on wearing Kakashi's old pants forever and his chest was broader than Naruto's to fit in his T-shirts comfortably, not to mention that orange did him little justice. While it was not an exclusively men's clothing store, the saleswoman, a middle-aged blonde with a big mouth and an even bigger appetite for gossip, had pestered her with questions about who the clothes were for since she had no brothers and almost never offered clothes as gifts to her friends. Needless to say that getting away from her grasp had been a challenge and Sakura had no delusions about how rushed and suspicious her emergency exit had seemed. The village had probably known that a man had entered her life-though none of their speculated scenarios was even remotely close to the truth-long before she actually decided to be open about her guest.

She was almost surprised no one had visited her house in order to find out about this mystery man that had so suddenly appeared in the young medic's life.

She glanced at Diarmuid walking beside her and felt her spirits lift at the sight of his friendly smile and the excited way in which he observed everything that stood out to him. Shinobi twirling shuriken in their fingers, young Genin jumping from one rooftop to the other, dango and food stands, the busy market, even the civilians themselves.

In the corners of her eyes she could see people turning to look at them, whispering among one another about the Hokage's apprentice and the impressive man at her side. She sighed under the weight of their stares. She was not used to attention, much less to this kind.

"Are you feeling alright?"

She looked up at the spear-wielder and smiled reassuringly, though it didn't really reach her eyes and he noticed. "I'm fine."

He flicked her forehead lightly with affection. "Don't lie to me. I can see that you are stressed."

The young woman sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that morning. "Am I really that transparent?"

"Only to me." commented the brunet with a charming smile and tucked a stray lock of pink hair behind her ear.

For all she was worth, Sakura couldn't stop the blush from rising to her cheeks.

XxxOxOxOxxX

Ino stared wide-eyed as her pink-haired friend walked through Konoha with that gorgeous piece of a man stuck to her side _._ He was tall, red-eyed with dark brown hair and even through his t-shirt she could see that his body was sculpted to perfection. Could this be the mystery guy the village couldn't stop whispering about?

' _My, my…Sakura, where have you been hiding him all this time?'_ thought the Yamanaka with a conspiring smile. Putting every inch of stealth in her body to use, she continued to follow the peculiar couple as they went about their business. _'Could this guy be the reason I haven't been able to see Sakura much lately?'_ Her baby-blue eyes swept the man from head to toe once more. ' _Well, can't really blame her. If I had that hunk of a man living with me, I wouldn't be getting out much either.'_

She ducked behind a cart filled to the brim with vegetables when the pink-haired medic stole a glance over her shoulder. The blonde waited for the pair to put some distance between them and her hiding place before making to follow them once more.

"What are you doing, Ino?"

The blonde whipped her head around, her long ponytail swishing as she moved, to find her teammate watching her with a raised eyebrow, his usual bored expression replaced by one of curiosity.

"Shikamaru, keep it down! They might hear you!"

"Do I even want to know the reason you're stalking Sakura?"

Ino stared at him as if he had grown two heads. "Are you kidding me? Of course there is a reason! Aren't you even a little bit curious about this guy?"

The Nara sighed. "What Sakura does in her personal life is not my business. And it's not yours either."

"Hey! I'm the best friend, remember? I have rights. It is my duty to make sure that my friend is in good hands."

"If there is one kunoichi that can take care of herself, that's Sakura. You are rushing to conclusions, Ino. They could be just friends."

The woman laughed. "My, Shikamaru! You are so innocent. With those looks, I know I wouldn't want to be just his friend."

"Not everyone thinks the same way you do."

"I'm a woman and I know how women think. Trust me, no sane female would allow a man like that to escape if she had the chance."

Shikamaru shook his head in exasperation. Really, there was no reasoning with this girl. "Still, that doesn't explain why you've decided to tail them."

The blonde giggled and grabbed his hand. "Well, you'll just have to come with me and find out!" she said and started dragging him with her, picking up her pace to cover enough distance so they wouldn't lose the unsuspecting pair.

A line of protest surfaced to the Nara's lips but he decided against expressing his thoughts. In his experience, every time Ino got her sights on something there was no stopping her. Sakura and her mysterious friend just happened to be the prey in her most recent hunt. Shikamaru really felt sorry for them.

"Shikamaru, look!"

Broken out of his thoughts, the dark-haired man looked in the direction Ino was pointing. The man was pushing a lock of hair behind Sakura's ear. What was so important about that anyway?

"What's so special about that Ino?"

The Yamanaka looked positively scandalized. "Are you kidding me? That is simply one of the most romantic gestures a guy can do for a girl! You males can be so insensitive at times." She turned her attention away from him-for which he was thankful; one could only take so much of Ino's scrutinizing gaze-and back to the pair, who were now walking through the market, stopping at one stand or another to buy groceries.

"Oh, Shikamaru, look!"

"What now?"

"He's carrying her groceries for her!" The blonde followed the couple with her baby-blue eyes taking in every little detail. The wide smile and happy laugh on Sakura's lips at whatever it was that the man was telling her, the way his body instinctively inched closer to hers, how he leaned in towards her face when he spoke to her. The two of them wouldn't be able to notice-not yet, anyway-but to any outsider that knew how to look, the situation was an open book.

For the past few years, Ino had grown used to a reserved Sakura, a woman dedicated to her career as a medical kunoichi that left little to no room in her life for matters outside of that field. But now….Now she was finally able to see bits and pieces of the old Sakura. Of a self the Haruno had long since buried deep inside her. Of Sakura the woman. Perhaps the pink-haired medic herself would ignore the signs-and knowing her, she probably would-but to Ino, everything was as clear as day.

She could finally see happiness in Sakura's emerald eyes.

With a cryptic smile and a last glance at the pair, she turned around and started dragging Shikamaru in the opposite direction of the couple.

"Come on, Nara. You're buying me dinner."

' _Take care of her…'_

 **TBC**

 **So, Sakura and Diarmuid are out and about, walking through Konoha for the first time since our favorite Irish hero moved in with her. A bit of Ino over here, watching them from afar and drawing her own conclusions while also hinting a bit at the long-awaited romance between our two protagonists. But fear not! The girls will definitely have a small heart-to-heart later on!**

 **Just to clarify in order to avoid misunderstandings, when Diarmuid tells Sakura he wants to "observe her world", he's referring to her hometown, her everyday life, her culture. It has nothing to do with dimension-hopping since that concept has yet to be introduced (I'm not sure I'll even introduce it in the first place.) So….yeah.**

 **Anyway, thank you for your wonderful reviews and your continued support. I love reading your opinions. Also, I've been looking for promts, you could say, in order to use them for the story's 'snapshot' chapters that I mentioned in an earlier 'Author's Note' so if you'd like to suggest something, I'm all ears. Send me a PM with your promt or idea and I'd be happy to put it to paper. Of course I got my own ideas but I want you guys to enjoy this story as much as possible and I always love to read everything you got to say.**

 **Until next time, READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Lots of love!**


	7. Chapter 7

"Ok, here's another one." Diarmuid cleared his throat. "You dare defy me, you rabid dog? I will strike you down, mongrel!"

Sakura burst out laughing at the brunet's imitation of the pompous warrior she had learnt was called Gilgamesh. "Really, he sounds like such a fun guy."

Diarmuid smirked. "Your definition of fun is very different from mine."

"So, was he a strong warrior?"

"Oh, he was. His Gate of Babylon was a formidable sight indeed."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Gate of Babylon?"

"His Noble Phantasm."

"What is that?"

Knowing that this conversation was probably going to take a while, Diarmuid made himself comfortable on the couch beside her. "It was the manifestation of his powers, the ace up his sleeve."

"Did you have a Noble Phantasm?" she asked curiously. She couldn't say that she wasn't intrigued. She knew little about his life as a warrior.

As if expecting that question, the man smirked. "What do you take me for? Of course I had one!"

"Ok, ok! Don't get your panties in a twist!" she joked. "What did yours do then?"

"In truth, both Gae Dearg and Gae Buidhe were my Noble Phantasms."

"So, both your spears?"

"That is so, my Lady." His expression was almost nostalgic. "With my Gae Buidhe I could inflict wounds that no one could heal. Gae Dearg on the other hand, could render all magical enhancements and projections useless by severing all ties with magical energy."

Sakura whistled in wonder. "That's a mean skill to have. I can't imagine what us medics would do if any of our enemies discovered something like that." She almost shuddered at the thought.

"No need to worry. Those are indeed very special skills one cannot simply obtain."

"You know, this is the first time you actually talk to me about your past." she remarked, making a show of glancing at her nails though he knew she was observing him in the corner of her eye.

"It must have slipped my mind." he answered with a smirk. "We have time. Is there anything in particular you'd like to know?"

She perked up at that, unable to keep her curiosity in check. "Is it ok if I ask?"

He shook his head smiling. "You've opened more than just your house to me, Sakura. It's only fair that I be completely honest with you. Ask whatever your heart desires."

"What kind of war were you fighting?" It had always bugged her. He spoke of people and powers she had never heard of. And while he had given her no reason to doubt him, it was only natural that she would want to know what exactly he had been fighting for.

"That's a tricky one and I can't promise you that you'll understand but I'll try." he said, preparing himself to tell his story. Pleasant and unpleasant memories alike. "It was called the Fourth Holy Grail War. There were seven of us. Seven champions serving seven Masters, fighting for them in a battle to the death over possession of an artifact that would grant the victor a wish, whatever their heart desired."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Wow….That would provide a pretty strong motive to anyone to fight."

"Indeed. To fight and to kill and to betray."

"Why did you become involved in this war? It doesn't sound like a situation the Diarmuid I know would like to be in."

"Perhaps you are right." he said. "The fact is, I was chosen to take part in this battle."

"By who?"

"The Holy Grail itself. It chose me as it chose my Master."

"Your Master?"

"A Mage with nine generations of magic in his blood by the name of Kayneth." His eyes darkened. "I was to serve him and win the War for him."

The pink-haired woman scratched the back of her head nervously. "I take it he wasn't the most pleasant one out there, was he?"

Diarmuid chuckled humorlessly. "No, he wasn't." he said. "He was selfish, obsessed with power and thought that his lineage put him above all others. He was a man with no virtue, with no respect for another man's honor."

"So, what happened?" she asked carefully, not wanting to bring back any unwanted memories.

"Whatever happens in every war." he said. "Murder, conspiracy, betrayal. In the end, a warrior's honor and code of conduct mattered less than the desire for power."

"Were you…Were you betrayed?"

His red eyes got a far-off look, as if recalling painful memories and unknowingly to him a small frown appeared on his face. He remained silent for a while and Sakura feared she had asked the wrong question.

"I was." he finally said after a few more seconds of heavy silence. "I was betrayed by my Master, sentenced to death for a crime I never committed. Humiliated because of his arrogance and pathological jealousy."

Sakura stared at the man, who seemed to be lost in his own memories and she quickly felt guilt creep its way inside her heart for bringing up the subject. She could only imagine how awful it had to be, being betrayed by your own master, the one you swore to protect with your life. The one you were willing to sacrifice so much for. Tsunade was her teacher as she was her leader. The pink-haired girl didn't dare imagine the day that the blonde Senju would turn her back on the village, on every shinobi and civilian that looked up to her for guidance, for protection. It would be their worst nightmare becoming reality. It would mean the end of Konoha.

Diamruid was so lost in his recollection of that fateful night in Fuyuki that he didn't register the girl moving closer to him until the moment she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in her warm embrace. For a moment he froze in surprise, not expecting such a move from her but he immediately relaxed and wrapped his own arms around her, burring his nose in her pink locks. It was not pity she was offering but companionship, a hug to say 'I'm here for you.' Diarmuid allowed himself to bask in her presence and revel in the warmth she provided, both to his body and soul. He had forgotten how liberating simple human contact could be.

' _But Sakura is not just another woman….'_

She pulled back a couple of minutes later and ruffled his hair affectionately, smiling widely with a small blush on her cheeks. "If it's brings you any comfort, I know exactly how you feel."

He raised an eyebrow in confusion, already missing her warmth. "How so?"

"Years ago, when I was but a girl, the boy I held close to my heart abandoned me."

Diarmuid sucked in a breath at the revelation. "He…..left you?"

The woman nodded with a small nostalgic smile. "We used to be on the same team; him, Naruto and myself. He had a very troubled past and eventually we drifted apart, we lost him to his pursuit for power. His quest to extract revenge from those who had wronged him took him away from the village and from us."

"Sakura, I…..I'm so sorry."

The woman smiled reassuringly. "Don't be. It was a long time ago. I've moved on from my past. I only hope that he has too."

"Did he ever come back?"

"Oh, eventually he did." said the woman, playing with a lock of her rosy hair. "It took a couple of near-death situations but in the end we managed to drag his ass back. It took a hell lot of rehabilitation and Naruto biting his ears off, but he's become a member of our society once more, as social as Sasuke can be. " she finished with an amused giggle.

Diarmuid frowned. "How come I've never met him?"

"He's been away on a long-term mission for the past six months. Information gathering mostly. I'm not at liberty to say more."

The handsome brunet crossed his arms across his chest. "Well, he is an idiot."

The pink-haired raised an eyebrow. "I won't disagree but why is that?"

"What else can he be if he chose power over you?"

Taken aback by his words, Sakura only stared at him before averting her gaze to hide the blush that colored her cheeks. She couldn't even remember the last time she had felt so flattered by a man's words, let alone have her heart beat so erratically in her chest.

Diarmuid smiled widely at the light blush on the woman's face, her rosy cheeks suiting her well. "So, what's for dinner tonight?" he asked, deciding to take her out of her slightly uncomfortable position.

"Oh my! We are so gonna be late!" exclaimed the girl, inwardly thankful for the distraction and more than willing to divert her thoughts away from the reactions the handsome brunette could elicit from her. "We're having dinner with my team tonight. Kakashi-sensei sent word this morning. Didn't I tell you?"

"It must have slipped your mind." he answered, shaking his head in amusement.

"Well, I'm telling you now!" she said, jumping up from the couch in a swift move. It never ceased to amaze Diarmuid how flexible she really was. _'Bad thoughts, Duibhne! Bad thoughts!'_

"Get up! Go get dressed before Naruto comes barging in, demanding to know what is taking us so long. If he does, it's up to you to explain!" she yelled as she ran up the stairs.

"Hey, that's so unfair!" he shouted back though a deaf man could have heard the amusement in his voice.

"Don't care!" came the reply and Diarmuid chuckled. _'This woman is going to be the death of me…'_

The brunet's mind flew to his unfortunate first meeting with Sakura's team. Her one-eyed sensei he was not worried about but his ears still hurt from her boisterous blond teammate's yelling. He groaned.

' _This is going to be a long night…'_

 **TBC**

 **Hey there guys! How are you doing? Our dear protagonists had a little heart-to-heart. Opening up about their painful pasts is such a great way for the both of them to get to know each other better, more intimately, don't you think?**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I love your reviews so please keep telling me what you think!**

 **IMPORTANT! In light of my upcoming Naruto-Fate/Zero Crossover (starring Diarmuid and Sakura, obviously!) taking place around Diarmuid's time as a knight in the service of Fionn, I have put up a poll regarding Graine's role in the story. I do intend to add her as a character but I'm not sure whether I'm going to follow the actual legend of Diarmuid where she put a geis on him in order to make him run away with her or add her in the story as the woman he used to be in love with until he realized that they were never meant to be.**

 **Please, spare a couple of minutes to go to my profile and vote. It would help me a lot!**

 **Anyway, thank you for your time! Until next time, READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Lots of love!**


	8. Chapter 8

It would be a flagrant underestimation to say that the atmosphere at Ichiraku's Ramen Stand was tense.

Diarmuid watched with an awkward smile as Sakura babbled on with her gray-haired sensei, completely oblivious to the heated glares her blond teammate was sending him from across the stand. Either that or she paid him no mind in favor of maintaining as peaceful a dinner as possible. Really, it was difficult focusing on enjoying his meal when he could feel a pair of cerulean eyes boring into his skull at all times.

Sakura's other teammate, Sai, was better in the sense that he hadn't promised bodily harm to him yet though his smile was slightly unnerving.

He tried focusing on the floating ramen in his bowl as he picked at it with his chopsticks, though even that proved difficult. It was hard silencing instincts that had kept him alive for years and those instincts were particularly insistent about reminding him of the heated glare directed his way. Diarmuid raised his head and flashed the blond boy an awkward smile in an attempt to placate him and perhaps finish this night uneventfully.

Naruto only stabbed the piece of pork in his bowl with his chopsticks in response.

Sighing heavily he turned his attention to the other pair only to find Sakura sending him an apologetic smile. "We can always go home if you are uncomfortable." she whispered loud enough only for his ears to catch.

He smiled at her reassuringly and grabbed her hand under the stand, giving it a squeeze. "Don't worry about me."

The pink-haired woman stared at him in concern. "Are you su-"

"Why the hell are you holding Sakura-chan's hand, you pervert?!"

Both man and woman almost jumped up from their seats at the blonde's yell and Sakura instinctively released Diarmuid's hand, blushing lightly. "What the hell Naruto?"

"He was holding your hand, Sakura-chan!"

"So what?" she growled. "How is it any of your concern?"

The blonde seemed scandalized. "But you are Sakura-chan! I can't just allow any guy to hold your hand!"

The pink-haired woman clenched her fists at her sides. "Do I seem like I need your permission?" she said darkly, glaring daggers at the jinchuriki, who appeared oblivious to the killing intent radiating off her.

"It's not about permission. It's my job to keep you safe!"

"Did I ever ask you to watch out for me?"

"Well, no. But you don't have to ask. I'm supposed-"

"You are supposed to stop sticking your nose in my life!" retorted the woman stubbornly, angrily stomping her foot to get her point across.

Diarmuid scratched the back of his head nervously. _'Is it me or did that stomp just leave a small crater behind?'_

"But Sakura-chan! We are a team! I have to do this!" whined Naruto, his gaze shifting between glancing at Sakura and glaring at the handsome brunet at her side.

The green-eyed medic took a deep breath to calm herself and looked at Naruto with a sweet smile. It was the kind of smile that promised pain and suffering. All those within a ten meter radius felt the hair at the back of their necks stand on edge.

"Let me rephrase then." she started with a leveled voice and that same sweet smile still on her face. Really, Naruto should have seen it coming. To her defense, the punch wasn't even powered in the first place. It really wasn't her fault that Naruto chose the worst times to act stupid while completely dropping his guard.

Diarmuid stared with red eyes wide in bewilderment as the blonde's tumbling stopped a few feet away. _'Remind me never to get on her bad side…'_

Naruto dragged his dust-covered body over to them though he kept his distance from the female who was as composed as she would have been while shopping for fruit in the market.

"Keep away from my business Naruto or next time you'll find yourself in Suna."

"That's mean, Sakura-chan….." whined the blonde, rubbing his head.

The young woman smirked. "Oh, trust me. You haven't seen mean just yet." She turned around abruptly, her hair swishing behind her as she grabbed the tall brunet's hand and started dragging him away. "Come on, Diamruid, we're leaving."

"Shouldn't we cover our share of the meal?"

The woman smiled mischievously. "Oh, Naruto's paying tonight."

"What? Sakura-chaaaaaaan!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

They took the long way home that night.

The sky was cloudy and Sakura usually preferred to walk that path when the stars were out but the man at her side was excellent company, so she didn't mind the extra mile. For a while they walked in silence, side by side with their arms brushing against each other though neither seemed willing to move away.

"I'm sorry for Naruto's behavior." stated the woman, breaking the silence.

Diarmuid chuckled. "There is no need for that. I understand. It puts my mind at ease even."

She raised an eyebrow. "How do my teammate's childish ways put your mind at ease?"

The brunet sighed and suddenly his eyes seemed almost sad. "It is good to know that someone will be looking after you after I…."

"After you what?" she asked though she had a feeling about where this was going.

"After I leave." he finished. "A day will come that I'll have to walk out of your life Sakura. Knowing that you will be protected provides some solace."

She froze in her step and averted her gaze, focusing on her feet and the dark grey stone of the path beneath her soles. "I never gave you a deadline."

He stopped a step away from her. "I know. And I can never express my gratitude for everything you've done for me. But I can't go on like this forever. I can't feed off of your kindness indefinitely, like a parasite." He stared at his hands, clenching them in fists and wishing he had his spears there with him. The cold metal had always been a comforting weight in his hand.

"Do you want to leave?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper.

He turned to look at her and gently grabbed her chin between his fingers, making her look up him. Red mixed with gold clashed with emerald green. "Once a man has found happiness, does he willingly let it slip through his fingers?"

Mesmerized by his fiery eyes, the young woman couldn't avert her gaze despite the blush rapidly rushing to her cheeks. "Then why leave? Why leave me behind?"

He smiled softly at her and she could feel her heart speed up. "Believe me when I say that I could never leave you behind. Even if I tried."

"Unless….." she trailed off.

"Unless what?"

"Unless you have someone waiting for you out there. Family, friends…." _'A lover….'_

"I've told you before. No family, no friends. You are the only one I have, Sakura."

She grabbed his free hand with both her own and gave it an almost desperate squeeze. "Then stay! Stay here…with me."

His fingers traced their path upwards from her chin and cupped her cheek, his thumb stoking her skin. "I believe with every fiber of my being that you finding me that day in the woods was the Fates finally smiling down at me for once in my life."

The pink-haired woman smiled and Diarmuid almost sucked in a breath at the way her eyes sparkled even in darkness. "Then why throw your luck away?" she joked half-heartedly, trying to lighten the air around them.

Diarmuid chuckled and sighed. "I cannot even begin to tell you how much you've really done for me. Every moment spent in your presence will remain engraved in my memories until my last breath. But I don't want you to force anything upon yourself out of a sense of self-induced obligation to me."

For all she was worth, Sakura couldn't stop herself from snorting. "With the show I put up back there, do you really believe me to be a push-over?" she remarked, referring to the incident with Naruto not an hour ago.

"Oh no, nothing of that sort!" he answered quickly, chuckling lightly.

"Then believe me when I say this: I want you to stay, if that is your choice." she said, squeezing the hand still held in her own.

Diarmuid's red eyes bore into her green ones, mesmerizing and intense as they always were. Could he? Could he really leave all this behind? Could he really leave her behind? Not waking up to her soft humming in the kitchen, not seeing her emerald eyes or her pink hair or he radiant smile as she looked up at him…..Would he ever be able to do that? He shook his head, smiling widely. "I never stood a chance, did I?"

"Up against me? No!" The woman giggled. "After all, who's gonna cook me dinner if you go?"

The brunet's shoulders slummed. "Ouch! What a way to ruin the moment….."

Sakura laughed heartily and pulled at his hand. "Come on, let's go home."

Diarmuid glanced at the hand holding his before intertwining his fingers with hers. "Yeah, let's go home."

 **TBC**

 **Hey there guys? How are you?**

 **So, this chapter explores a bit deeper into their feelings for each and we have just barely scratched the surface of romance. They both know that they want to stay close to each other with Diarmuid going as far as to admit that he has found happiness with Sakura. Some parts of this chapter are open to interpretation by each individual reader but the general purpose of the chapter was to have our protagonists connect on a deeper level.**

 **IMPORTANT! The poll is still open so please spare a couple of minutes to vote. All you have to do is go to my profile. Right above my profile picture you can find the poll question and the 'Vote Now!' option in blue letters. You just have to vote your preferred choice by clicking 'Vote Now!'**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter even though it's shorter than the others. I'd also like to thank you for your reviews. I'd never thought that this story would get so much positive feedback-considering this is such a small, almost non-existent fandom-and to think that we aren't even half-way through! So thank you!**

 **Until next time READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Lots of love!**


	9. Chapter 9

Sakura hummed a happy tune under her breath as she walked through the busy market, her basket almost full. She greeted people here and there, offering bright smiles and enthusiastic greetings. She felt unusually chirpy given the fact that she would be working the late shift at the Hospital.

"Oi, Forehead!"

Sakura turned around to see Ino approaching her quickly with a bounce in her step. "Good morning, Pig."

"Where are you heading to?" asked the blonde as she fell into step with the young medic.

"Just shopping. I need to stock up on groceries."

Ino hummed in response before a mischievous smile appeared on her face. "So, how's your roommate?"

The young medic scratched the back of her head nervously. "You know about that?"

"Duh, Forehead. Everybody knows. You two were seen walking through the village a few days ago. Not to mention that Naruto has been grumbling about his 'precious Sakura-chan being violated by that good-for-nothing bastard' for the past two weeks."

' _I'm so going to kill Naruto when I see him….'_

"So, how is he?" the blonde repeated her earlier inquiry.

Sakura faltered a bit in her step at the question before quickly regaining her composure. She should have known better, really. "He's fine."

"Is that all you're going to offer me?"

"Isn't that all you asked?"

Ino chuckled. "Very sly, Forehead. I'll give you that."

The pink-haired medic sighed. "What do you really want, Ino?"

"Was it even in your plans to tell me that you have that hunk of a man living under your roof?" she said, inwardly smirking at the small blush that rose to the other woman's cheeks.

"I was going to tell you, Ino."

"Before or after the wedding?"

Sakura almost chocked on her own saliva in response. "W-What are you talking about?"

The blonde Yamanaka just shook her head. "You are so dense, Sakura."

"Watch it, Porky. I'm holding a basket and I can use it."

"Oh, watch me as I tremble in fear!"

The medic just chuckled, glancing at the merchant stands as they walked through the market.

"So, when were you gonna tell me?"

Sakura sighed. "Look Ino, things have been a bit hectic ever since Naruto found out about Diarmuid-"

"Diarmuid, huh? What an interesting name!"

"-and I've been trying to keep it low until he stops pestering me about it. I guess giving you the details just slipped my mind."

"Unforgivable, Forehead! That's a violation of my 'best-friend rights.' You should have come to me right away." said the blonde, feigning offense.

"Trying to make me feel guilty won't work on me and you know it." retorted the medic. "I had my reasons for keeping Diarmuid a secret at first and they all rhyme with 'Naruto throwing a tantrum.'"

Ino hummed disbelievingly in response but then her lips tugged up in a smirk and Sakura knew that whatever was coming out of her mouth within the next few seconds would certainly be embarrassing.

"Oh, I know why you were being so secretive." said the blonde, her smirk widening. "You just wanted to keep the hottie to yourself. Forehead Girl doesn't like to share."

Sakura's cheeks shone scarlet from embarrassment and she frantically looked around to make sure that nobody had heard the Yamanaka utter those words. "Ino! Watch your mouth! Do you know what will happen if Naruto gets wind of all that nonsense? The situation is nothing like that. Diarmuid is just an old friend. I merely wanted him to settle in before I introduced him to any of you."

"Oh? How come I only learnt of him now? I've know you practically all your life."

"I had other friends before you, Ino. Diarmuid was one of them. Don't feel so surprised that you were unaware of his existence. He's been living in Rock for quite some years now."

"And he just showed up now?"

"He didn't _just_ show up." answered the pink-haired medic and as much as she hated lying to Ino, she really had no other choice. "We've been corresponding for quite some years now. Diarmuid contacted me a couple of months ago. Said he needed some time away from Rock. I was more than happy to host an old friend."

"Aren't you a sweetie, Forehead?" giggled Ino. "Can't really blame you though. With those looks, I'd host him anytime." she joked, taking pleasure in the blush that rose to her friends cheeks. _'You are so easy to read, Sakura…'_

"Look, Ino, I really need to get going." said the green-eyed medic, more than willing to avoid any more of her friend's teasing. "I have more shopping to do. I've been running low on kunai lately and I need to stop at TenTen's for another dozen."

"Sure, sure. Run along. I'm sure Diarmuid is lonely without you."

Sakura just shook her head. Ino would always be Ino. "See you later, Porky."

"Later, Forehead. Don't do anything I wouldn't!"

"Ino!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

The bell above the door sang as Sakura walked into the small shop.

She smiled as her eyes flew over the weapons displayed on the walls and in glass cases all around her. She had always felt comfortable walking into TenTen's shop. Being surrounded by shiny, well-polished steel brought her a sense of comfort. All those weapons were the ones keeping her and her friends alive. It was enough to make her feel right at home.

She was in the middle of admiring a set of well-crafted daggers displayed on the wall when a familiar voice snapped her out of her daze.

"Oh, Sakura! Didn't see you there!"

The woman smiled. "Hey, TenTen. How did the mission go?"

"Good. We had to face a few bumps along the way but you know Neji. The man's a perfectionist."

Sakura giggled. "Trust me, I know."

"So, are you here for your order?"

The young medic nodded. "My pouch is almost empty and I need to stock up. Is it ready or do you want me to come by another time?"

"No, it's okay. Everything's ready. Come with me." answered TenTen and motioned for Sakura to follow her at the back of the store, where the brunette kept her stock. That back room was TenTen's paradise. It was where she did her magic, the place where she created her weapons. And each one of them was unique. At least that's how the woman treated them.

Sakura walked around the room as the brunette rummaged through a mountain of packages, taking in every unique piece of weaponry her friend had picked up during her years of going on missions. Some were stranger than others, daggers with jagged edges and swords with curled blades. The rosette was in the process of examining a strange whip with five lashes, each one of which sported a small blade at its end when suddenly, a red shine in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She gasped at the sight.

There, in a case made of glass, lay the most magnificent spear she had ever come upon in all her years. It was the color of blood and approximately 6.5 feet in length with intricate cravings from its sharp-pointed head down though she couldn't see the detail of the rest of its length since it was a wrapped in some kind of dark purple cloth. It had an almost unnatural shine to it, the eerie feeling of something ancient and powerful.

She ran her fingers across the glass, mesmerized by the unique weapon. She could almost feel it pulsating. The pull it had on her was almost magical. Even when TenTen spoke up, she was unable to look away.

"You like that, Saks?"

The young woman nodded. "It's beautiful. Where did you find it?"

"On a mission. We were in the process of apprehending a rich merchant that we discovered was supplying Sound with information regarding Konoha when I came upon his armory while searching the house. Found this beauty among many others."

"It's stunning…"

"You want it?"

The green-eyed medic looked up in surprise. "What?"

"Do you want it?" the brunette repeated her earlier question.

"Would you really give this to me?"

TenTen shrugged. "I've had it in the shop for almost a month and no one has shown any particular interest in it. And I'm not sure about you, but I don't know any of our shinobi that use spears in battle. Really, it would be a shame if it continued collecting dust in here."

Sakura looked back at the spear and a pair of golden eyes flashed through her mind. "How much for this, Ten?"

The other woman shook her head with a smile. "No need for that. You are a good client, Saks. Consider this a gift from a friend."

Sakura grinned at the brunette. "Thanks Tenie! I owe you for this."

"Don't mention it. Now, I got your order ready to go. Just let me put that spear in a sealing scroll and you are free to go."

Sakura nodded with a wide smile and followed the other woman to the front of the store though her mind was lost in though.

' _I wonder how he's going to react…'_

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura walked through the door with a bounce in her step, humming a happy tune under her breath.

"Sakura? Is that you?" asked a voice from the kitchen.

"Of course it's me. Why, were you expecting someone else?"

"Very funny." Diarmuid made his appearance in the living room with his arms crossed across his chest though the apron ruined the intimidating look he had been going for. "Lunch is almost ready. We can eat whenever you're ready."

"Good. But first…." said the woman and pulled a scroll from her basket. "I got something for you."

The dark-haired man raised an eyebrow. "Oh? A surprise?"

"You could say that." She unrolled the scroll. "Remember how you told me that you missed your spears?"

"How could I forget? I'd give anything to just hold one of them once more."

"Well, I hope this will offer you some comfort."

"Huh?"

She did a hand seal and a 'poof' of grey smoke followed. When it cleared, Diarmuid felt his breath catch at his throat. His eyes widened in bewilderment and he took an involuntary step back. For there, held in the woman's hands, was none other than Gae Dearg.

Finding his voice and his ability to breath, the dark-haired man took careful steps towards her. His fingers lightly touched the worn cloth that was wrapped around the shaft, finding it difficult to believe that he was actually looking at his spear. He carefully took it from her, relishing in the familiar weight of it in his hands.

"Where…Where did you find this?"

"A friend of mine found it while on a mission. She owns a small weapon's shop. I saw it when I went to visit her today and I immediately thought of you. I figured it would be nice for you to have it."

"Sakura, this spear…..This spear is….."

"I know it can never replace your original weapons but I was hoping-"

"This spear is the one I lost. This is Gae Dearg."

The woman's eyes grew as wide as plates at the revelation. "What? This is one of your two spears?"

He nodded, unable to believe that this was really happening. "I thought…..I thought I'd lost it forever."

"Oh my…" Sakura shook her head with a wide smile, feeling happier than she had been in a while. "I never really believed in the workings of the universe, but this has to be Fate."

Sakura was no fool. Her years as medic had made her especially sensitive to the feeling of each individual chakra signature. She had never had any doubts regarding Diarmuid's story of his background and previous way of life. I mean, this was handsome, honest, loyal-to-a-fault Diarmuid she was talking about. She was absolutely certain that he had given her only the truth. But even if she had had even a shadow of a doubt, seeing him with the red spear would have evaporated it. She was glad she lived on the outskirts of Konoha or every shinobi within a two hundred meter radius would have felt Diarmuid's energy reverses exploding. It felt like the amount of his chakra-or whatever he had was-had tripled just by taking the magnificent weapon in his hands. She could only imagine what would happen if he called upon its real power.

Out of a sudden, a pair of arms wrapped around her shoulders and the pink-haired woman found herself pressed tightly against Diarmuid's chest. For a moment her eyes widened is surprise but she immediately relaxed, bringing her own arms around his waist. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and she closed her eyes, enjoying this unique moment between them.

"Sakura….Thank you."

' _Sakura…..Thank you…'_ The words echoed in her head, bringing back memories she had long since buried in the darkest corners of her being. How different those words sounded falling from Diarmuid's lips compared to Sasuke's. Same syllables, same vowels, same letters and yet their substance was so vastly different…..

"No, Diarmuid….Thank _you_ …."

' _Thank you for making me feel again…'_

 **TBC**

 **So, Sakura and Ino finally got to have that little chat. To those who had been expecting it, I hope you liked it! Anyway, the most important development in this chapter was Diarmuid getting Gae Dearg back. I know, it might seem far-fetched but it is only logical that the spear came with the man, but was unfortunately misplaced and that's why Sakura didn't find it in the woods with Diarmuid. But, they do say that the universe has that strange way of surprising us, right? It only took a visit to TenTen's weapons shop. Diarmuid got his Gae Dearg back AND his relationship with Sakura once more reached another level.**

 **So, our favorite medic might have admitted that she has some feelings for our dear spear-wielder but that's open to interpretation for now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Your reviews make me happy, so please READ AND REVIEW!**

 **The poll is still open so all you gotta do is go to my profile and vote!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	10. Chapter 10

Diarmuid flicked her forehead, frowning down at her the way a father would while scolding his misbehaving daughter. "Drink your orange juice."

Sakura rubbed the spot on her forehead, munching on a piece of toast. "I really need to go. When did I appoint you as my personal nutritionist anyway?"

The handsome brunet scowled at her. "You didn't. I did so myself when I discovered your horrendous eating habits."

The woman rolled her eyes at her roommate. "I eat three times a day. Isn't that enough?"

"You only eat three times a day because I force you to, otherwise you would have sustained yourself on water and air."

"Don't exaggerate. After all, I have to work. My patients won't wait for me to eat." she answered back stubbornly.

Diarmuid crossed his arms across his chest. "For the sake of your patients, I really do hope that you take care of them better than you take care of yourself."

Sakura glared at him though she knew that he only said that as a means to ruffle her feathers and get his point across. "I'll have you know that both my bedside manner and the care I offer to my patients are exemplary!"

"Good. About time you extended that same care to yourself. Now, drink your juice." he said, pointing his fork at her.

"Yes dad." The pink-haired woman rolled her eyes but picked up her glass and started gulping down the fresh orange juice Diarmuid had hand-squeezed for her.

The spear-wielder grinned and reached from across the small kitchen table to ruffle her hair affectionately. "That's my good girl."

The woman stuck her tongue out at him but smiled cutely, her cheeks dusted red. She glanced at the clock on her fridge and jumped up from her seat. "Shit! I'm so going to be late!" She cursed under her breath. "If Tsunade-shishou demands my head for the delay, I'm blaming you."

"Yeah, yeah. Blame me, whatever." he answered back, rolling his golden-red eyes, and stood from his chair, preparing to put away his empty plate.

Sakura shook her head at her handsome roommate before securing her medical pouch on her hip and grabbing a list of the patients she had to attend to that she had created earlier that morning. She tightened the Konoha headband in her hair and made sure that the strings of her boots were laced. She put her plate in the sink knowing that it was Diarmuid's turn to take care of the dishes and made to exit the kitchen.

At the last moment, she turned around and ran up to the brunet, using his shoulders as leverage to pull herself up and place a quick kiss on his cheek. "Thanks for looking out for me." she whispered in his ear and sprinted out of the room, the sound of the front door closing reaching his ears a few seconds later.

Diarmuid remained rooted in his spot, eyes slightly wide and his mouth hanging open in surprise. Slowly, he reached up to touch his cheek where she had kissed him, a wide grin spreading across his face.

He gathered the plates from the table and placed them in the sink, pouring washing soap on a sponge and starting to scrub the ceramics, all the while whistling a traditional Irish tune.

XxxOxOxOxxX

She was running late.

Night had fallen and even though her shift had long since ended, Sakura was nowhere to be seen. Diarmuid drummed his fingers on the back of the couch as he sat, staring out the window overlooking the yard and the small path leading up to the front porch of the house.

Their dinner had already grown cold and the house was dark apart from what little moonlight managed to slip through the thick foliage of the woods. While it was normal for Sakura to run a little late, she had never been _this_ late. She should have been back three hours ago. Even though he was almost sure that no harm would come to her inside the village, he couldn't help the worry welling up inside him as the minutes passed with no sight of the pink-haired woman.

Another half an hour later, Diarmuid felt the last remnants of his patience abandon him and he shot up from his seat on the couch. Pulling on his combat boots, he walked out of the house, grabbing Gae Dearg along the way and making sure to lock the door behind him.

The night was a bit chilly and he shivered slightly when a cool breeze brushed his bare arms but he focused on his path, unfazed by the cold. He followed the road to the village center, not worrying about getting lost. The layout of Konoha was fairly simple with all important buildings gathered right at the heart of the village. The Hokage Tower and the Hospital were the biggest structures, they were hard to miss. He had always had a good sense of direction, anyway.

Fortunately, there were only a few people walking the streets at this time of night and most of them were civilian merchants closing up their stands until the next morning. His roaming of the streets wouldn't be questioned. He ceased walking a few feet from the Hospital's entrance, briefly hesitating before his concern for the pink-haired medic took over and he swiftly entered the building, walking up to the front desk.

"Excuse me, miss?" he called, hoping to catch the attention of the black-haired clerk who seemed busy manicuring her nails.

The woman looked up, appearing annoyed at the interruption, but it quickly vanished upon glancing at the remarkably handsome stranger patiently waiting for her services. She straightened up immediately, offering the brunet a wide smile. "Hello, my name is Chiyoko. How may I help you, sir?"

"I'd like to see Sakura, please." he requested politely, glancing around in the corner of his eye in case the pink-haired woman made a sudden appearance.

The clerk batted her lashes at him. "I'm sorry but Haruno-san left a while ago."

Diarmuid frowned. "Are you sure about that?" he insisted. _'Where is she?'_

"Oh, I am. Her shift ended about four hours ago."

The man sighed before nodding. "Thank you for your help. Have a good night." he thanked the woman, swiftly turning around and walking out of the building in a hurry, eager to continue his search for the missing medic.

Chiyoko slummed back into her chair, twirling a lock of dark hair around her fingers and feeling disappointed at having missed the chance to learn more about the handsome stranger.

"My, why does Sakura-chan always get the good-looking ones?"

XxxOxOxOxxX

Diarmuid ran his hand through his hair in frustration. _'Where the hell is she?'_

An hour into his search and he was as close to finding the pink-haired medic as he had been sixty minutes ago. She had left the Hospital four to five hours ago but no one had any idea about where she could have gone other than back home. He had no idea where any of her teammates lived in case she had dropped by for a late visit and he hadn't managed to catch a glimpse of her anywhere in the village center.

' _Damn it!'_ he cursed inwardly, reprimanding himself for not going out to seek her out earlier. He glanced around and realized that he was almost on the other side of Konoha with the faces of the previous Hokages watching over the sleeping village from their places on the Mountain, the intimidating mass of rock making him feel insignificant in comparison. He sighed deeply in dejection, ready to turn around and head back home in case Sakura had returned while he was out looking for her when suddenly, the sound of a small rock rolling down the Hokage Monument caught his attention.

He tried to make out if there was somebody up there but it was almost impossible even for his superior eyesight to make out any particular shape from that angle. His curiosity getting the better of him and with a small spark of hope flaring in his gut, he took a turn and finding the narrow and steep path that Sakura had showed him during the tour she had given him a couple of weeks back, he started the brief but tiring hike to the top of the Hokage Mountain

The view was magnificent with the whole of Konoha spread beneath his feet in all its glory. Shadows moved on walls and rooftops, dancing with the silver light cast by the moon. The wind was colder up there as it brushed his arms and blew through his hair. He took a moment to breath in the crisp air that seemed to be a permanent fixture in Konoha, unlike the air of Fuyuki that smelled of exhaust gas and decay. Diarmuid took a look around.

He found her sitting on the very edge of the cliff with her feet drawn to her chest and her face buried in her bent knees. The only thing protecting her against the chill was her thin doctor's coat. Her shoulders were shaking though he wasn't so sure it was from the cold. He approached her carefully and frowned when she gave no indication that she had noticed his presence.

"Sakura?" he called softly, kneeling down beside her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Slowly, she turned to look at him and Diarmuid sucked in a breath at her tear-stricken face. Instantly alarmed, he gently grabbed her shoulders and turned her so her body was facing his. "What's wrong, Sakura? Talk to me, please….."

For a few seconds she just stared at him as if she couldn't recognize him, her green eyes moist and depressed and defeated. A new wave of tears began to flow from her emerald orbs and she started sobbing, clutching the fabric of his shirt as if her life depended on it.

Diarmuid was at a loss. He had no idea what the hell had happened to reduce the usually fiery medic to such a mess and he felt his worry increase as the minutes passed and Sakura showed no sign of calming down. The only thing he could do was wrap his arms around her and pull her in his embrace, hoping to offer whatever comfort he could.

"I tried, Diarmuid…..I tried…." said the young medic brokenly and buried her face in his chest as he rubbed soothing circles on her back, whispering calming words in her ear. About half an hour later, when her sobs finally subsided, Sakura was able to look up at the brunet watching her with concern written all over his face.

She tried to smile but it came out more like a grimace than a smile, making Diarmuid's frown deepen. "What happened, Sakura?"

"I swear, Diarmuid! I swear I tried!" she whispered desperately. "But I couldn't save them. By the time they brought them to me, it was already too late." she said brokenly. "They were so young, Diarmuid! So young….."

Sakura couldn't help the new wave of tears that streamed down her cheeks as she recalled the events of the night. A Genin team, barely out of the Academy, had fallen into an enemy trap, ambushed by high-ranking rogues that had hoped to extract information and sell it to anyone who would be willing to pay. Konoha had no shortage of enemies.

They had brought in the Genin in critical condition and their sensei barely standing on his feet, having carried all three of his students all the way to the village. Sakura had been on duty when all hell broke loose. During the pandemonium that followed the arrival of the wounded team, the pink-haired medic had managed to extract the names of the unlucky youngsters and it was with horror that she had realized that one of them, the girl, was the daughter of a friend of hers.

The first boy's death came almost immediately. He died painlessly, still clutching his bloodied kunai. The second boy had been harder. Whatever poison they had injected him with had already destroyed his lungs and damaged his kidneys beyond repair. Half of the bones in his body had been broken and there had been burn marks all over his skin.

Extracting the poison had been too dangerous in his condition and all Sakura could do was fight it with her chakra inside his body. The boy passed away two hours after being admitted to the ICU.

And then it was little Sayuri with her blonde curls and her once big blue eyes alive with mirth and love and life.

Sakura couldn't hold back the broken sob that rose to her throat at the thought of the little girl, lying in a hospital bed with her chest torn open and her flesh charred and shredded and bloodied to the point that she had a hard time recognizing the once lively child.

Diarmuid pulled the broken female tightly against him. Even though he wasn't aware of the details, it was obvious that Sakura was tormenting herself with guilt over these unfortunate deaths. He gently grabbed her chin between his fingers and lifted her head so she was facing him.

"It wasn't your fault, Sakura. There's nothing more you could have done."

"I should have tried harder…..I should have…." she argued, averting her gaze in shame.

"And what good would it have done? You are only human, Sakura. You can't save everyone." he insisted, hoping that she would see reason even in her disoriented state. "There are some things you can never control. Death is one of them."

"But…..But…."

The man sighed. "Stop tormenting yourself, Sakura. As sad and unfair as it is to see young lives cut short, that's the way the world works. You should know that better than anyone. For a moment stop thinking about the people you've lost and think about all the lives you've saved, all the people that are alive and happy because of your healing touch."

Sakura tightened her grip on him, as if he was her only link to sanity. "I always thought that it'd get easier with time. That I'd eventually get used to the fact that I just can't save everyone." It was one thing watching shinobi die in the line of duty. That was how their world worked. Every shinobi was prepared to die; every new mission could be their last.

But to see these children, so young and so eager to live and grow…..To see them so battered and broken and lifeless…It was a blow she hadn't braced herself for. It had reminded her of all her failures. _It hurt_.

Diarmuid wiped her tears with his thumbs and tucked a lock of her pink hair behind her ear. "Loss is a part of life, Sakura. All we can do is accept it and move on. That's the only way to truly honor those who are gone."

She knew he was right. Because grieving would neither bring the dead back nor make the pain easier to deal with for the living. One was truly dead only when they were forgotten. These unlucky children who had been denied the wonders of life so early and in such a violent way would always be remembered as shinobi who did their duty and fell like heroes. The young woman stared up at him in wonder before hesitantly nodding. "O-Okay…."

Diarmuid smiled at her affectionately. "Now, I think it's about time we went home. It's freezing out here and you need to rest." he said, helping to her feet. He threw his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him to keep her warm, hoping that his body would shelter her from the wind until they reached their home.

The walk was silent. Fortunately, nobody was out at this hour to see them. The brunet was aware of how proud a person Sakura was and he was sure that she wouldn't appreciate being seen in her vulnerable state.

They had covered a bit more than half the distance when Diarmuid felt the woman stagger on her feet and he glanced worriedly at her. She was dragging her feet and she could barely keep her eyes open, exhausted both mentally and physically as she was.

Shaking his head at her stubbornness, Diarmuid stopped in his step and startled her by picking her up bridal-style. For a moment, the young medic wanted to protest and argue that she could walk perfectly well on her own but that thought was easily eradicated after a few seconds. His embrace was warm and comfortable and oh-so-inviting that she couldn't find it in herself to disagree. She leaned her head against his chest as he carried her, breathing in his scent.

"Come on, let's get you home." he whispered in her ear and he felt her nod.

"Diarmuid?" she said softly and half-asleep, lulled by his heartbeat.

"Yes?"

"I'm happy to have you in my life…."

The man smiled. "I'm happy too, Sakura. I'm happy too…"

TBC

 **Hey there guys! How are you?**

 **So, this chapter was a bit more emotional for dear Sakura-chan. I really do believe that Sakura is the kind of person that would be pretty shaken up by a situation like the one described above. The purpose of the chapter was to allow Diarmuid to see another side of Sakura, a much more vulnerable side to show her humanity and bare some of the scars shinobi life has left on her. I hope you liked it!**

 **The poll is still open but will be closing soon enough, so any of you who haven't voted and wish to do so, please go to my profile and click the 'Vote Now!' right above my profile picture.**

 **Your review make me really happy so please READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	11. Chapter 11

Sakura woke up to the sound of birds chirping right outside her window.

The sky was bluer than usual and even the sun seemed brighter. She threw the covers aside and stood groggily, taking pleasure in the coolness of the floor under her bare toes. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table to see that it was already 9:45. Sleeping in wasn't really her thing but she wasn't too worried since it was her turn to work the night shift at the Hospital.

She grabbed a change of clothes and walked in her bathroom. Putting the clothes aside she opened the hot water tab and began undressing while the water reached the desirable temperature. She groaned when she realized that she would have to bathe with lukewarm water since her roommate had probably woken up earlier than her and used up all the hot water.

Sakura scowled. _'I'm going to kill him…'_ she thought maliciously while stepping under the spray of water and growled when it hit her bare shoulders, making her shudder. For a person who liked to take scorching hot baths, lukewarm was the equivalent of freaking freezing. _'Scratch that. I'll make his death as slow and painful as possible…..'_

She washed herself in record time, making sure to grab the warmest towel she owned and wrap it around her body immediately after stepping out of the shower. She pulled on her clothes-that consisted of grey shorts and a red t-shirt-and towel-dried her hair, not bothering to use the hair-dryer.

Stepping out of the bathroom and into her bedroom, Sakura threw her towel on her bed and ran a brush through her hair to get rid of any knots before heading downstairs. She was half-way down when she heard voices coming from the kitchen, one of which was female. She knew she hadn't invited any of her female friends over for breakfast.

Frowning slightly, she descended the rest of the stairs and walked to the kitchen, the voices getting louder as she approached. She couldn't really recognize the second voice over the sound of the steaming kettle but it sounded painfully familiar. Sakura slipped inside the kitchen carefully and fought down the urge to groan loudly.

"Good morning Sakura-chan!"

"Mom?" she asked in bewilderment. "What are you doing here? We weren't supposed to meet up today."

Haruno Mebuki shook her head and smiled at her daughter. "My, Sakura-chan. You know how to make me feel welcome." Her eyes were sparkling with a light Sakura knew all too well. The medic didn't like it at all. "Can't I pay my daughter a visit? It's been a while since the last time you visited your dad and I."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Don't try guilt-tripping me, mom. I've just been busy lately." she said, walking towards Diarmuid who was preparing tea and ignoring her mother's muffled comment of "I can see that."

"Morning, sleepyhead." greeted the handsome brunet with a wide grin, pouring the tea into three cups and handing her one. "Your breakfast is on the table."

Sakura smiled up at him. "Thanks, roomie." she answered sipping her tea and settling in a chair beside her mother.

"Here you go, Mrs. Haruno." said Diarmuid, offering a cup to her mother who took it with a wide smile.

"Thank you, dear. What a nice young man you are!" she commented, nudging Sakura's foot under the table and making the young woman groan. She wouldn't be living this down any time soon.

The brunet sent her a charming smile. "See, Sakura? Your mother thinks I'm nice." he said cheerfully.

"Hasn't known you nearly as long as I have." mumbled the pink-haired woman munching on a slice of bread and honey.

"My, you are so hard to please, Sakura." he said with a pout and the woman resisted the urge to slap it away from his face. It was unfair how a simple facial expression could be so irritating and at the same time so damn endearing.

"That's my Sakura-chan for you!" commented her mother happily. "A stubborn little thing she always was. Even as a little girl. I can still remember that time we were supposed to visit my husband's sister and little Sakura was so set on going there in just her underwear, I spent three hours trying to convince her otherwise."

"Mom!"

"Oh, is that so?" said Diarmuid, his grin widening. "Please, do tell me more."

Before he could sit, the pink-haired woman pulled him down by his shirt so that her mouth was level with his ear. "You go on with this farce or use up all the hot water again and you are going to die a painful death." she whispered maliciously only for his ears to catch and abruptly released the fabric of his shirt making him stumble back and spill his tea all over his clothes.

Diarmuid hissed as the hot liquid came in contact with his skin and immediately set his empty cup aside. He looked up to see Sakura smirking smugly at him and he fought down the urge to scowl at her. Instead, he smiled charmingly. "As lovely as your company is, you'll have to excuse me, my ladies. I'll just go change and be right back." he said, walking out of the kitchen and leaving the two females alone.

"So….." started Mebuki making her daughter groan at the mischievous glint in her eyes. "When were you going to tell me that you have a hot boyfriend?"

The young medic almost choked on her tea. "Mom! He's not my boyfriend!"

"Sure!"

"Mom, I'm serious. Diarmuid is just a good friend."

"Oh? And where did you meet him?" asked Mebuki, daintily sipping her tea.

Sakura fought down the urge to scratch the back of her head in nervousness. Give her an enemy and she could make then believe just about anything but her mother….Her mother was an entirely different story. "He spent some time in Konoha when he was a kid but moved back to Rock after a couple of years." If there was one thing her mother never forgot, it was faces.

The older woman looked thoughtful. "Is that so? I don't remember ever seeing him with you."

"It's no wonder." answered the medic, feeling a bit more confident. "His father was a merchant so Diarmuid used to spend a lot of time helping him out."

"Ino-chan was the only friend you ever brought home though."

"You are referring to a time in my life that the belief that boys had cooties hadn't completely disappeared. Not to mention dad's ridiculous rule about no boys in the house until I finished the Academy."

Her mother laughed. "Oh! I remember that one." she said merrily. "All things aside, I never knew you had it in you, Sakura-chan. You make your mom proud."

The rosette groaned. "For the last time, there is nothing going on between Diarmuid and me."

"Honey, with those looks, I'd be dying for something to happen between us if I were you."

Sakura seemed positively scandalized. "Mom!"

"You're telling me that you've been living with that gorgeous man under your roof and never once have you thought about slipping under the covers with him?" said the older woman with a look full of mischief.

Sakura couldn't stop herself from spiting her tea out. "You are out of control, mom!"

"What? There's no harm in speaking the truth! The man puts that Sasuke kid to shame, not to mention that he has the manners to match. And he makes excellent tea."

"Someone, please kill me…."

When Diarmuid returned to the kitchen a few seconds later he found Mrs. Haruno daintily sipping her tea with her back straight and not a hair out of place, as composed as ever. He couldn't say the same for Sakura though. The woman's face was as pink as her locks and she was scowling at her mother. More than a little curious but choosing not to comment, the man put a charming smile on his face and walked in with a confident stride.

"I hope you ladies are having fun." he said merrily, taking a seat across from Sakura. "How's your tea, Mrs. Haruno? Would you like some more?"

The older woman smiled at him kindly. "Thank you dear, but I'll have to decline. My husband is probably waiting for me and I need to get going." she said, setting her cup down and getting up from the chair. Sakura followed her stiffly, still slightly pink as she lead the blonde woman to the door with Diarmuid following close behind.

"It was such a pleasure meeting you, my dear." she said, smiling widely at Diarmuid as she stepped out of the door. "It makes me happy to know that my Sakura-chan has friends that are as nice as you."

"Likewise, Mrs. Haruno. Please, do pay us another visit soon."

"Oh trust me, I will."

"Yeah, yeah. It was nice seeing you mom." said the young medic, all but pushing her mother out of the house. "Give daddy a kiss for me, will you?"

"Sure, sure! Bye kids!"

Sakura swiftly closed the door and leaned her back against it, sighing in relief. She loved her mother dearly, she really did. But the blonde woman was more than she could handle sometimes. Momentarily pushing her….interesting conversation with her mother to the back of her mind, Sakura focused her gaze on her roommate who was watching her curiously.

"Now….." she started, narrowing her green eyes at him and taking a threatening step forward. "About that hot water issue….."

Diarmuid gulped.

 **TBC**

 **Hey guys! What's up?**

 **So, another chapter is done and to lighten up the mood after the previous chapter, here is some good old mother's curiosity for you. I never really cared to pay too much attention to Haruno Mebuki so her character is sort of based on my own mother. I swear, I can practically see my mother asking me all these questions with that mischievous look and strange 'I-Know-Something-You-Don't' kind of smile. Yeah, my mom's a real tease…..**

 **Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. As you have probably guessed from the last couple of chapters, I've been focusing on developing the relationship between Diarmuid and Sakura. If there is one thing I dislike about love stories, it's a rushed romance where there is no actual development and the characters just conveniently fall in love from the very beginning.**

 **Your reviews always put a wide smile on my face so please READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	12. Chapter 12

The night was chilly but the sky was cloudless and the moon was almost full, casting its silver glow over Fuyuki City.

Lancer stared at the faces of his fellow Heroes, jumping from Archer to Saber and then to the grinning face of Rider. He remembered this night. The very first duel, the one that marked the beginning of the Fourth Holy Grail War. Everything was almost as he remembered it.

Saber was standing in front of that white-blonde woman, Irisviel if he remembered correctly. Rider and his Master were watching from their place on Iskandar's magnificent oxen-pulled cart and Gilgamesh was floating above them, clad in his golden armor, his face set in his usual demeaning scowl. Ever Berserker was there though he seemed unreasonably docile. Something was wrong.

He took a look around, paying closer attention to the details. Archer's Gate of Babylon was deactivated, the Berserker was quiet and Saber's arm was unharmed, as if he had never wounded her with Gae Buidhe. There were no signs of their struggle around, no devastation from their powerful attacks. It was almost as if their battle had never taken place.

None of the others were moving and Diarmuid frowned. This was not how things were supposed to be. His memory of this night was completely different from what he was experiencing and he momentarily wondered if this was some kind of magic, some sort of illusion. However, the thought quickly vanished. He couldn't recall anybody using that kind of magic during the War; it would make no sense to use it now.

He wasn't sure whether this was some kind of twisted recollection or if he was actually re-living that night, only this time things were different. If that was the case, who was to say that everything else would go according to last time? Perhaps the Holy Grail War itself would play out differently.

But still…He couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. Something had happened. Something that wasn't supposed to happen. The rest of the Servants were quite, which was odd in itself. Weren't they supposed to be fighting? Trying to eliminate each other in order to secure victory? Wasn't that the purpose of the Fourth Holy Grail War?

Then why was nobody moving? Why were they just standing there?

He felt a light touch on his arm and he turned to his right, ready to attack should it turn out to be a hostile. He gasped in surprise, his eyes wide in bewilderment.

She stared up at him, her emerald eyes alive with mirth as a loving smile spread across her face. "There is no need to worry." she said softly. "Everything is going to be fine."

He turned to face her fully, still unable to believe that she was actually there. "Sakura? What are you doing here?" he asked in a rasp whisper. "You shouldn't be here. It's dangerous."

"I wanted to be with you." she answered. "Who's going to keep you safe if I'm away?"

He grabbed her hands in his own, squeezing them in desperation. "You have to get out of here. It's not safe for you."

The woman squeezed his hands back, the smile never leaving her face. "I can't do that, silly. I can't leave you alone."

His hands flew from her own to her face, cupping her cheeks. "I don't want anything to happen to you." he said urgently, staring intently in her eyes. "I'd never forgive myself if you were to get in harm's way."

"But what about you?" she asked, frowning slightly. "What if something happens to you and I'm not there to help you?"

Diarmuid tried to smile reassuringly. "You've done more than enough for me. For once, think about your own well-being. Go find shelter. Somewhere away from here. Somewhere this battle won't ever reach you."

She shook her head, refusing to leave. "I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to carry this burden alone. We can get through this. Together."

Diarmuid looked at her with an almost desperate look in his red eyes. He wanted to scream and curse the Fates for throwing her into this War, into this hellhole. This was so wrong…..She wasn't supposed to be here, she wasn't supposed to be looking at him like that. He wasn't supposed to be touching her, feeling her warm skin under his fingers, feeling her beating heart, alive in her chest.

No, she shouldn't have been there. She should have been back in Konoha, sleeping peacefully in her bed, under her covers. Warm, serene, _safe_. How was it even possible for her to be in Fuyuki? Him having been thrown back somehow he could understand but her presence there made no sense.

Diarmuid glanced at the other Heroes and even though none of them demonstrated any sign of surprise at the appearance of the pink-haired woman, he couldn't help but feel all the more suspicious of whatever was going on.

He refocused his eyes on the green-eyed woman. "Keep close to me." he said, planting a kiss on her forehead before letting his hands fall from her cheeks to his spears.

' _I need to find a way to get her out of here before things take a turn for the worse.'_ he thought, not daring to voice those thoughts, knowing perfectly well that the woman would be adamant in her refusal.

"My, my….What kind of treasure is that by your side, Lancer?"

He abruptly spun around at the sound of that voice and instinctively pushed Sakura behind him, using his body as a protective shield. "Kayneth….." he growled at the back of his throat, feeling nothing but contempt for the blonde mage standing a few feet away. There was no feeling of loyalty, nothing compelling him to follow this man's orders or to even recognize him as his Master. It was as if he had never been summoned by him. But if Kayneth hadn't summoned him….Why was he here in the first place?

"Why such hostility?" said the blonde man, his smirk sending an unpleasant shiver down Diarmuid's spine. "Aren't you happy to look upon your Master once more?"

"You do not deserve to be called my Master." spat the brunet, tightening his hold on his spears. He had once declared that he held no hate in his heart for anyone. Not for Fionn, not for his own comrades who had turned against him. Gazing upon Kayneth's power-hungry face, he was beginning to reconsider.

"My, my…..Why speak like that? Was I not good to you?"

Diarmuid felt his anger rise. "Do not taunt me, you worthless serpent!" he spat. "You have no virtue inside you, no honor. You deserve nobody's loyalty!"

The smirk disappeared from Kayneth's lips to be replaced by a cruel scowl. "Virtue…..What a waste of time. There is not virtue in this world. There is only power. You always were far too honorable for your own good." A blue light started to form around the mage's fingers, growing stronger by the second until it began to take the shape of a spear.

Diarmuid gritted his teeth as recollections of his last meeting with the Mage flashed through his mind but then his eyes narrowed in determination. _'No, not this time. This is not the night I draw my last breath. This time, I have far too much to lose…'_ He briefly glanced at the woman clutching his arm, staring up at his former Master both in confusion and calculating suspicion.

"You know, Lancer, your Master is very disappointed in you." said Kayneth, gathering more and more of his magic in his hand, making the spear grow in size.

"I do not concern myself with the opinion of a man no more virtuous than a rock." shot back the Irish warrior, briefly wondering why the hell none of the other Heroes said something and just stood there silently, watching the events unfold.

Kayneth chuckled darkly. "That honor of yours cost me the War. Your pathetic dedication to your knight's code of conduct was the reason I never got to hold the Holy Grail." The spear floating above his palm was pulsating with energy. "You made me very unhappy, Lancer."

The blue spear was thrown at him with speed that caught him off guard. The distance separating them was far too small for him to defect the incoming weapon even if he used both his Gae Dearg and Gae Buidhe. It seemed that for a second time in his life, he'd be taken down by one man's vanity and greed. Diarmuid braced himself for the impact, sending a silent prayer to the Fates to guide him after his death and to look after the pink-haired woman he held so close to his heart. He took comfort in the fact that she'd be there to hold his hand this fateful night. At least he'd see her face one last time.

He closed his eyes, preparing himself for the feeling of the spear tearing through his chest. It never came. His golden-red eyes snapped open only to meet an endless sea of emerald green staring up at him lovingly. Her lips were stretched into a smile though there was blood tickling from the corner of her mouth, marring her skin.

He looked down in horror at the spearhead protruding from the place between her lungs, his eyes widening. He barely had time to catch her as she collapsed in his arms. He lowered the both of them to the ground, holding her head on his bent knees. With trembling hands, he pushed a few locks of her hair away from her face and cupped her cheeks.

"S-Sakura! Open your eyes, please!"

She smiled up at him weakly. "I'm so glad you're okay….."

"Don't waste your breath and focus on healing yourself!" he urged her in desperation, feeling his uniform moistening from the blood oozing from her wound.

She only shook her head. "There is nothing I can do. My fate has been decided…."

"No!" he yelled. "You can't give up!" He turned to the others still standing around silently. "Help, please! Irisviel, I beg of you! Heal her!"

He received no answer and nobody made a move to even approach them.

"Why are you just standing there?" he called. "Help her, please!" He turned back to the woman in his arms. Her lips were slowly turning blue and her skin was pale, making the blood stand out even more. "Sakura, listen to my voice. You can't give up. You have to keep fighting."

"I feel so, so tired….." she said, her voice barely a whisper.

"No! You promised you'd never leave me alone!"

Her smile was bittersweet. "I guess I won't be keeping that promise." She slowly reached up and cupped his cheek. He leaned in to her touch, wishing to savor as much of her as he could. "I'm so happy…" She coughed, more blood slipping through her lips. "I'm so happy that you are alive…"

"No…" he said weakly, clutching her fingers on his face. "No…"

"You just live on for me….We'll have so much to talk about when we see each other again….Right now, I just want to rest….." she whispered, her voice fading as her hand on his face went limb and cold. Her breathing came to a stop and he could no longer feel her heartbeat against his chest.

Diarmuid stared at the lifeless body of the woman, feeling his heart shatter piece by piece. "SAKURA!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

"No!" He shot up from bed, heaving and drenched in cold sweat.

' _He killed her…He killed her….'_

His heart was beating erratically in his chest, echoing profoundly in his ears as he fought to calm his breathing. He stared at his palm before running his fingers through his hair. He pulled his knees closer to his chest, clutching his head in an attempt to control the whirlwind of emotions that left him breathless and trembling and terrified.

The light tap of feet alerted him of the arrival of the woman and he turned around just enough to see her enter his room hastily, staring at him in worry. She sat beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a hug. She rested her chin on his shoulder and started rubbing circles on his back, whispering soothing words in his ear. She asked no questions and he never told her about that terrifying dream.

He looped his arms around her in an almost desperate hold, afraid that she'd disappear if he let go. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in the sweet scent of her skin and listening to her heartbeat. Steady and comforting and _alive_.

"Everything's alright now. I'm here, I'm here." she spoke softly in his ear.

Diarmuid closed his eyes, trying to block out the images of that horrendous nightmare that kept coming back to him, taunting him and reminding him of everything he had to lose.

' _You are here now. And that's all that matters…..'_

 **TBC**

 **Hey guys! How are you doing?**

 **So, it was Sakura's turn to comfort Diarmuid. It was also Diarmuid's time to realize a few things. I think it is quite obvious that I hate Kayneth. I've hated him since the moment he appeared. The situation with Sola-Ui (I hate her too, by the way) only made things worse.**

 **The main purpose of this chapter is to illustrate the change in Diarmuid regarding his feelings for Sakura. That vivid dream about her death at the hands of Kayneth was the turning point, the moment he realized that she means much more to him than he had thought. I hope I was able to convey that. I know this chapter might seem a bit much, but I wanted it to be as great a shock to Diarmuid as possible.**

 **Also, a couple of days ago I updated a Gilgamesh/Sakura one-shot called "Gunpowder and Love." Check it out and leave a review if you want!**

 **Your thoughts on my stories make me happy so READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	13. Chapter 13

"Use the spear, you lame excuse of a warrior! Your swordplay is laughable!" growled Diarmuid at the knight desperately trying to overpower his enemies. "You need a long-range weapon, you idiot! Grab the spear!"

Sakura shook her head and glanced at her scowling roommate in amusement. Really, who would have thought that he would get so worked up over a movie? Even she could see the faults in the knight's fighting-"That will be your head if you don't duck, you moron!" her roommate yelled and she couldn't help but agree-but she had never thought she'd see the day that Diarmuid would lose his composure over the fabricated life story of a knight whose name she couldn't even remember.

"You do realize that this is just a movie, right?" she asked, snorting in amusement.

"This is such a disgrace. That lame excuse of a man brings shame upon us knights!" he all but snarled. "It is men like him that are to blame for the degradation of our knightly code. People see men like him and then think badly of all of us honorable knights. Simply outrageous!" he went on, appearing to be sharing his thoughts more with himself than with her. Sakura had to shake her head at him. Really, Diarmuid was a constant source of amusement.

"Oi, Mr. Knight, wanna come back to the real world and tell me what you want for dinner?"

"Pathetic, good for nothing-"

"Oi! Pay attention!" she called when he didn't bother to answer her first question.

"You shouldn't have been a knight-

"I'm talking to you!"

"Worthless-"

"DIARMUID!"

Snapping out of it, he turned to look at her in surprise. "What?"

Sakura sighed in indignation. "I've been trying to gain your attention for the past five minutes."

"Oh." he said, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "Can I help you with something?"

"What do you want for dinner? I was thinking of making tonkatsu and rice."

The man shrugged. "Whatever you make is fine with me."

The woman merely nodded before hopping off the couch. "Well, I better get going."

"Where are you off to?"

"I got a date with the girls. We haven't been seeing each other much lately. We thought it'd be a good chance to catch up now that we are all in the village."

Diarmuid hummed in affirmation. Now that she mentioned it, he should have noticed it earlier that she wasn't wearing her usual attire-perhaps that movie was partly to blame for his lack of focus. Her white skirt reached mid-thigh, showing off her legs and her simple red t-shirt was a tight fit, hugging her curves nicely. Her hair was well brushed and out of its usual ponytail that Sakura preferred when in the house and at the Hospital, falling over her shoulders instead.

He followed her movements as she laced up her boots and grabbed her purse, checking to see that her house keys were inside before turning the doorknob. "I'm leaving. I'll be back in a couple of hours to make dinner."

He nodded. "Have fun. I might head to the market later. We are running low on vegetables."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to go to all that trouble. I can leave the girls a little earlier and pick something up on the way back."

Diarmuid brushed her suggestion off with a smile and a shake of his head. "There is no need for that. Don't ruin your meeting with your friends. It'll be a good chance for me to stretch and breathe in some fresh air."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. Now go. Your friends will be waiting for you."

"Sure, sure." she said and made to walk out when she suddenly turned back to him, as if remembering something. "No taking Gae Dearg with you, got it?"

"Huh? Why not?" he asked. Ever since he got it back, he was reluctant to leave his spear out of his sight.

"Hey, I'm not in the mood to save your ass when Konoha shinobi attack you on sight because you were carrying a lethal weapon through the village center."

Diarmuid's eyes widened slightly. "They wouldn't…I mean, they have seen me before. They would recognize me, right?"

Sakura shrugged. "It doesn't matter if they know you or not. You are not a registered Konoha civilian. Their orders are to monitor and eliminate any possible threats and _that-_ " she said pointing at the intimidating red spear perched on the couch beside him. "-screams of danger. Gae Dearg stays home."

The brunet's shoulders slummed but he nodded. "Alright, got it."

The pink-haired woman smiled at his pout. "Now, don't be like that! Have some patience until I secure your place in the village with the Hokage and then you'll be able to carry Gae Dearg around as much as you want."

"Right, right. Now shoo. You are going to be late."

"Can't wait to kick me out?"

"That's exactly it."

It was Sakura's turn to pout. "You are so mean, Diarmuid. You know how to make me feel loved."

The man just shook his head with a smirk. "Have fun, Sakura."

The girl smiled mirthfully. "Thanks! You too!" she called back as she walked out, shutting the door behind her and leaving Diarmuid to follow her with his golden eyes as she turned a corner and disappeared from view.

XxxOxOxOxxX

"And then Shikamaru left me with the bill! Can you believe that?"

The girls laughed at the blonde as she described her failed attempt at making her lazy teammate buy her dinner a few days ago.

"What did you expect, Pig? A man can only take so much of you."

"Really, Ino. You should have known better." said TenTen in amusement while sipping her iced-tea. "Shikamaru's a lot of things but stupid isn't one of them."

"I'm a lady. It's about time the men on my team learned to appreciate that." remarked the blonde, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

The pink-haired medic snorted. "Get off your throne, Porky."

"You are one to talk, Forehead! You've been keeping tall, mysterious and handsome secret from everyone!"

Sakura almost choked on her lemon tea. "I believe I explained why to you. How does that have to do anything with your team anyway?"

"It has to do with everything! You've been keeping secrets from us, Forehead."

"Yeah, Saks. I'm curious about this mystery man too. Just the other day I overheard Lee babbling about this guy accompanying you through the village." commented TenTen, her brown eyes glinting with a curious spark as she leaned in closer to the young medic.

"Not you too, TenTen." groaned the pink-haired woman before turning to the fourth member of their company, who was making an effort to mask her curiosity. "Do I even have to ask, Hinata?" The other woman's blush was all the answer she needed.

"Look, things are simpler than whatever crazy scenario your minds have come up with." started the medic. "Diarmuid is an old friend, who asked me to host him for a while. There is nothing more to it."

"Why so much secrecy then?"

The medic rolled her eyes at her blonde friend. "Are you kidding me, Ino? I told you before. I wanted to avoid Naruto's overreaction for as long as I could. I wanted Diarmuid to settle in before I introduced him to any of you."

"D-Diarmuid?" stuttered Hinata, a bit embarrassed by how easy it was for her pink-haired friend to realize that she too was rather curious about this man in her life. "T-That's a strange n-name."

"Well, his father was a merchant. He had probably traveled to a lot of strange places. God knows where he could have picked the name." reasoned Sakura, inwardly proud of herself for her quick thinking.

"So, he's been living in Rock for the past few years." started the Yamanaka. "How come he appeared now?"

Sakura sighed. "He just needed a change of scenery, Ino. It was also a good chance to visit Konoha again and catch up with an old friend. Where's the harm in that?"

"Is he really as h-handsome as they say?" wondered Hinata.

TenTen rested her chin on her palm. "I really want to see this guy."

Suddenly, Ino's eyes lit up as she focused on something over Sakura's shoulder and a wide smirk appeared on her face. "Well, look no further my dear. Look!" she said, pointing at a tall brunet a few feet away.

"Eeeee? What are you talking about, Pig-" said Sakura as she turned her head and her eyes widened at the sight of Diarmuid holding a paper bag and looking a bit uncomfortable as two young female Jounin stood on either side of him, babbling on about things that probably didn't interest him at all.

Overcoming her surprise at seeing him-which shouldn't have surprised her in the first place. He had told her that he intended to head to the market for vegetables-she raised her hand and waved to gain his attention and get him away from the overzealous kunoichi, seemingly unwilling to let him go.

"Diarmuid! Over here!" she called, ignoring the mischievous giggling of her friends.

At the sound of his name, the brunet turned around and a wide smile split his face at the sight of the pink-haired woman waving him over. He excused himself from the girls and walked over to the small tea shop, leaving two very disappointed women staring at his back wistfully.

Inwardly relieved, Diarmuid put a charming smile on his face as he greeted the company of four. "Good evening, ladies. I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

Ino giggled. "No need to worry! We were just talking. Please take a seat." she urged the man and pulled a chair from an empty booth on their right, placing it between Sakura and herself.

The pink-haired medic fought down the desire to groan out-loud. Ino had been looking for a chance to sit down with Diarmuid and satisfy her insatiable curiosity. Sakura was sure that this situation would only end up being embarrassing.

"Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend, Sakura?" said Ino with an innocent smile that made the medic wish she could dump the contents of her cup over her head.

' _You are so going to pay for this, Ino…..'_ thought Sakura as she plastered a tight smile on her lips. "Diarmuid, these are my friends. Ino, TenTen and Hinata. Guys, this is Diarmuid. He's an old friend of mine, who's been living in Rock for more than a decade."

"It's an honor to meet you, my ladies." Diarmuid smiled charmingly and bowed his head chivalrously, yet again reminding Sakura of how much he valued the presence of virtue in every aspect of his life.

The three women's reactions were almost instantaneous, all giggles and blushes and shyness (though that was mostly Hinata, unsurprisingly.). For once, Sakura seriously contemplated that perhaps his story of that curse that made women attracted to him wasn't completely impossible.

"So, Diarmuid" started Ino, testing the name on her tongue. "How long have you known our dear Sakura-chan here?"

"Oh, we've been friends for quite some years now though our contact was reduced to letter-exchange since I've been living in Rock for a while now." he said easily, reciting their agreed-on story perfectly. Sakura sighed in relief.

"So, are you her boyfriend?"

Sakura wished that earth would just swallow her whole and be done with it.

"Her boyfriend?" echoed Diarmuid in confusion. "Are you asking if I'm courting her?"

Ino started at him a bit strangely but smiled and nodded nonetheless.

"Well, as appealing as that thought is, I have to say no, I'm not her boyfriend." he answered, flashing Sakura a charming smile and making the pink-haired medic's cheeks shine scarlet from embarrassment and something else she couldn't quite pinpoint. She didn't really want to dwell too much on what he could have meant with 'appealing thought'. It was bad for her sanity.

"Stop it, Ino." said TenTen, sensing her friend's discomfort. "That's personal and it doesn't really concern you."

Sakura sent a thankful smile to the brunette before getting up from her seat and pulling Diarmuid with her. "I'm sorry but we need to go. I still have to cook dinner and complete some chores around the house."

"My, Sakura, why are you in such a hurry?"

"I have things to do, Ino. I also have a surgery scheduled tomorrow and I need to prepare."

"Such a shame! And we were having such a nice conversation!" whined the blonde in disappointment. "It was a pleasure meeting you Diarmuid. Now that Cherry finally decided to introduce us, we'd be more than happy if you came to more of our get-togethers." Ino just loved ruffling Sakura's feathers.

The handsome brunet smiled. "It was a pleasure, my ladies. I hope to see all of you again." he said smoothly and adjusted the paper bag in his arms before going to stand beside Sakura.

"Bye guys!" waved the young medic and left the company of three girls watching the pair's backs as they walked away, engrossed in conversation that probably had to do with their little chat with the brunet.

Ino, TenTen and Hinata exchanged looks, each with various levels of amusement and mischief.

"If things don't work out, do you think Sakura will let me have a taste?" said the blonde smirking widely in amusement.

"Ino!"

All three girls laughed.

 **TBC**

 **Hey there guys! How are you?**

 **Sorry for not updating sooner. Had a couple of other things to do. So, Diarmuid got to meet with the girls and be a source of embarrassment for Sakura, mostly because of Ino's teasing. Also, that statement about 'appealing thoughts' in regards of dating Sakura has left our heroin's heart skipping.**

 **The story is coming to an end, only a couple of more chapters left. But I am already planning a sequel so no worries! There will be more of this pairing.**

 **The poll is closed. If you want to see the results, you can go to my profile and press "Vote Now!" It will show the poll result.**

 **I hope you liked this chapter. Your reviews make me happy so please READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	14. Chapter 14

"You are jesting…."

"Hey!" complained Sakura, stretching her bare legs over his in order to get comfortable on the couch they shared. "Don't look so doubtful. I'm telling the truth."

"I'm not doubtful. I'm just bewildered by your complete lack of restrain." answered the brunet, shaking his head.

Sakura huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. "I had half a dozen injured patients waiting to be healed and he was causing a ruckus because his pillow wasn't soft enough and the hospital food not to his liking. There was no room for restrain."

Diarmuid snorted in amusement. "And assaulting the man helped in what way?"

The pink-haired woman rolled her eyes. "You are making it sound worse than it really was. I merely knocked him out. He was being annoying, anyway."

"I feel sorry for those under your care." he said, smirking teasingly at her.

"Unless you want to start feeling sorry for yourself, I suggest you shut up." she shot back, jabbing a finger in the middle of his chest. Her green eyes widened when he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, her chin almost resting on his chest.

"Is that a threat or a promise?" he asked huskily, acting bolder than he had ever acted towards a woman. It was hard not to though. Not with how she looked right then and there, with those shorts exposing her legs to his eyes and her pink locks only slightly disheveled and her eyes glowing. Her cheeks were slightly red and her lips were parted, breathing in slowly. He was painfully aware of the rise and fall of her chest against his.

He had always felt strangely at easy around the pink-haired woman, even during the first stages of their relationship. It had surprised him at first. He figured he would have been a lot more suspicious of people after what had happened during the Holy Grail War. It kind of made him believe even more strongly that their stars had met before, in a previous lifetime. It didn't take long for him to see why he couldn't help but trust her, feel drawn to her.

She wasn't as obviously heroic as Saber was nor did she consider herself as self-righteous as the King of Knights. She was vibrant is her own soothing way, the calming embrace of the waves on a windless day. She was the figure that stood in the back, watching over everyone else, the one everyone relied on without getting half the recognition she deserved. And she was content with that. She was happy with being everyone's shoulder-to-cry-on. Sometimes it made him wonder what could have shaped her like that.

He looked down at her leaning on his chest, his smoldering golden eyes clashing with curious emerald. He raised her hand still in his grasp to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles without breaking eye contact, eliciting a barely audible gasp of surprise from her. The situation was intense and scorching and breathtaking.

' _How did I go so long without this?'_ he thought, roaming his gaze over her flashed cheeks and slightly uneven breathing. It was captivating, igniting a fire in his chest that traveled through his veins, leaving him craving more than he had ever thought he'd feel for a woman.

Where her fingers touched his bare skin, a fire burned him. He could almost feel his corneas dilating as desire he had never dared feel for a woman slowly but surely flooded his body. How could one woman waken such feelings inside him? How could she dominate him like that without even trying?

"Diarmuid….." she said, his name coming out as a breathless whisper, barely audible but it rang in profoundly in his ears like the song of a forest nymph.

"Sakura…." he whispered back, his voice sounding hoarse and heavy with emotion and unrecognizable even to his own ears. His fingers brushed her waist and started playing with the hem of her shirt, wishing but not daring to touch her shin just yet. From the looks of it, it wouldn't be long before he couldn't take it anymore.

Her cheeks were turning red rapidly and she could feel her body's temperature rising but it was becoming increasingly difficult not to give in to her desires and kiss him, consequences be damned. She briefly glanced at his lips before her eyes were drawn to his once more, emerald green clashing with smoldering golden.

The air around them was heavy with electricity and pent up desire. With their bodies flushed against each other and their yearning almost taking the form of a red cloud around them, it was only a matter of who was going to take the first step, that great leap that'd change their relationship for the rest of their lives.

Diarmuid caught a lock of her hair between his thumb and forefinger, bringing it to his lips and kissing it softly before letting it fall at the side of her face. His fingertips traced the outline of her chin, tracing up to her lips before cupping her cheek. He gently pulled her face towards his, his lips just a breath away from hers.

Sakura was almost sure that he could hear her heart thundering in her chest, could feel the temperature of her skin rising, could sense how his actions made her insides melt and grow hot. A wave of emotions hit her, excitement and anticipation and desire soaring above all else. She could feel his fingers tugging her forward and she finally gave in to her instincts, her eyelids dropping slowly as the distance between them grew shorter and shorter.

Diarmuid could feel her warm breath on his lips and the anticipation at the pit of the stomach grew as he imagined how it would feel to actually kiss her, to feel her soft lips on his. One more second and his fantasy would come true, one more second and they'd both take a bite from the forbidden fruit.

"Sakura-chan!"

They both froze and their eyes widened at the sound of the loud voice right outside their door.

Sakura jumped back, untangling herself from the man's warm body with her cheeks shining scarlet. _'What the hell did just happen?'_ She thought, feeling a bit dizzy from her almost-kiss with Diarmuid. She couldn't imagine how it'd feel to actually kiss him.

"Oi, Sakura-chan! Open up!"

Naruto's voice broke her out of her thoughts and she shook her head in hopes of pushing the previous events to the back of her mind, at least momentarily. Yeah, good luck with that. When the knocking on her door grew louder, Sakura sighed and got off the couch, not wanting to disturb her neighbors and desperately needing a distraction herself. If there was one thing Naruto was good at, it was distracting her.

She padded over to the door and opened it carefully, sending a questioning glance at the blonde man standing at her doorstep. He seemed barely able to contain his excitement.

"What took you so long, Sakura-chan?" questioned the blonde the moment she appeared behind the door.

The young medic sighed, noticing the spark in his eyes. "What do you want, Naruto?"

"That's not what I asked." shot back the blond, crossing his arms across his chest stubbornly as he tried to glance inside the house over the rosette's shoulder.

"Diarmuid is inside if you are looking for him." said Sakura, knowing perfectly well what was probably running through her teammate's mind. Really, she wasn't in the mood to deal with one of his childish fits.

The loud jinchuriki huffed in distaste. "As if I'd be looking for him!"

Sakura rolled her green eyes at his behavior. Naruto would always be Naruto. "You are going off the track here, Uzumaki. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

As if remembering the real reason for appearing at her doorstep so unexpectedly, Naruto's cerulean eyes lit up and his lips stretched into a wide grin. "Sasuke's back."

' _Oh, shit…..'_

 **TBC**

 **First of all, I ask you to forgive me for not updating for so long. I kind of had my plate full these past few weeks. I wasn't in the right state of mind to spend time on this, though I do regret not updating sooner. I hope the chapter made up for it, even though it's not as long as others. The next chapter will be updated sooner, I promise.**

 **Your reviews make me happy, so please READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Note: Naruto and Sakura have already gotten Sasuke back to Konoha. When Naruto said 'Sasuke's back' he was referring to the Uchiha's return from a long-term mission.**

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura shifted uncomfortably on her feet as she stared up ahead, waiting for the appearance of her teammate after his four-month-long mission to Wave. She couldn't really find a solid enough reason for her nervousness. She glanced at the tall man standing quietly beside her. He had his arms crossed across his chest and the intimidating Gae Dearg strapped to his back. Diarmuid's face was calm but Sakura knew better. If there was one thing she knew about the spear-wielder, it was that when the smile disappeared from his face to be replaced by _that_ look then someone was in trouble.

She was no fool. She was perfectly aware that Diarmuid wasn't all too thrilled to meet Sasuke. Even though she had forgiven the Uchiha for everything, Diarmuid was adamant. Sasuke wouldn't be getting the brunet's forgiveness anytime soon. She wouldn't lie by saying that she didn't feel warm and flattered at the thought that Diarmuid cared that much for her, but the last thing she needed was another feud between her teammate and her guest.

Naruto's dislike for Diarmuid was just a childish reaction that would soon fade. She could handle the blonde perfectly well. But Sasuke…Sasuke was an entirely different story. He had no qualms about expressing his distaste in more than just a verbal way. Diarmuid was a very proud man and Sasuke's lack of anything remotely resembling diplomacy or respect could get them in trouble. Even though she had yet to see Diarmuid in battle, she had faith in his abilities. She was sure he could hold his own more than adequately.

But she knew Sasuke. He didn't take pity on anyone and he could be ruthless, especially when he wanted to prove his superiority. She was worried. If a fight broke out….

Sakura shook her head. _'Snap out of it, Haruno! Why would they get in a fight? You are being insanely unreasonable.'_

Despite her efforts, she couldn't shake off her worry. It was completely unfounded and she was probably overreacting but she just couldn't relieve herself of that burden. In the corner of her eye she took in the rigid form of her housemate. He hadn't said a word to her or anyone else since their arrival at the village gates. His golden eyes were focused on something in the distance, something that she couldn't see. She'd give anything for a glimpse in his thoughts.

"Sakura-chan, look! There he is!"

Naruto's excited outburst broke her out of her thoughts and she raised her eyes up ahead, taking in the form of her approaching teammate. His steps were calm and even, carrying the same dignified, aristocratic air that seemed to linger around Sasuke. The Uchiha knew how to make his presence felt, that was for sure.

"Oi, Sasuke-teme! Over here!" shouted Naruto, waving the man over.

Preoccupied with her nervous thoughts, Sakura didn't bother to tell her obnoxious friend that the dark-haired man could see them perfectly well without him jumping up and down like a 5-year-old on a sugar rush.

Sasuke took his time and appeared not in the least affected by his teammate's eagerness to greet him after four months of absence. He walked calmly, maintaining his usual pace, not sparring the Konoha guards a second glance. No, there was something else that had his attention. Or rather someone.

He made sure to keep his face emotionless but the Sharingan in his eyes was spinning under the onyx bangs shadowing his face, analyzing the tall man on Sakura's left. There was something about the stranger that had his senses on edge.

The tall brunet had his arms crossed against his chest with his muscles slightly tense, as if expecting to be attacked. His body was slightly shifted to the right and leaning towards Sakura in an obvious expression of protectiveness. And what was that? A staking of claim, perhaps?

His shadowed red eyes strayed to the crimson peaks of the shaft strapped to the man's back and Sasuke felt a wave of something hit him at the sight of the weapon. Weariness, alarm…..The man was no shinobi, that was for sure. He bore no headband and his chakra circulatory system was fundamentally different from theirs.

But he was strong. Oh, that he was. Strong and confident and challenging and apparently not in the least intimidated by the Uchiha's presence. Sasuke laid a hand on the Kusanagi's hilt both in preparation and warning. It was subtle but any seasoned warrior knew to recognize the signs. Naruto was in his own little world and Sakura seemed far too lost in her thoughts but the stranger caught it and he instinctively leaned closer to the pink-haired woman.

' _Interesting…'_

"Welcome back, teme!" shouted Naruto as he ran up to the onyx-eyed man, who simply side stepped him.

"Hn…." was his only response and Sakura shook her head with a small smile despite her previous mood. Some things never changed. She hoped they never would.

"Welcome home, Sasuke-kun." said the woman, adding the familiar suffix more out of habit that anything else. The man's onyx eyes shifted to her and despite his lack of verbal answer, he nodded his head in acceptance of her greeting and welcoming smile. Sakura's smile widened slightly. She knew it was hard for her silent teammate to express himself but he was trying. As impossible as it sounded, Sasuke was trying. She knew, she could see it. She dared say she was better than most at reading him. It was a hopeful thing to watch.

Diarmuid watched the exchange closely, his gaze lingering on the pink-haired woman's smile before it strayed to the male only to find him watching him. The spear-wielder's fiery golden eyes clashed with abysmal onyx as they sized each other up. Diarmuid couldn't help the instant dislike he felt for that… _boy_ as he ran his gaze over him, taking notice of the sword at his hip.

He had no control over that distaste. It just came to him, making a home for itself in his gut the moment he laid eyes on the one responsible for all the hurt Sakura had gone through. He was being horribly biased, that he knew. Perhaps he was even being terribly unfair. He knew little about the boy's past, about what had driven him to defect. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find it in himself to justify the boy's actions. Nothing could justify causing so much pain to a creature so kind and selfless like Sakura.

That kid, Sasuke, had once held the pink-haired woman's heart in his hands and he had just thrown it to the ground and stomped all over it for good measure. Sakura had forgiven him and that only spoke of how big her heart really was.

But he hadn't. He didn't think he'd ever be able to find it in himself to forgive the kid, not completely at least. They were clearly starting on the wrong foot but by the Gods, his feelings as a man proved much more powerful than his knightly code where Sakura was concerned. He knew that that confession should cause him shame, strip him of every bit of self-respect and pride in his body.

Only, it didn't.

There was not an ounce of shame in his body, no feeling of regret. There was just a fire, a burning desire to stand in front of Sakura and shield her. To protect her from the world and the corruption that thrived around them, the betrayal that he had experienced in such a cruel way.

Diarmuid's eyes were as sharp as the sword at the boy's hip and he could feel Gae Dearg pulsating on his back, as if the spear itself was ready for battle. Ready to be wielded by its master and cast its crimson glow for the world to see.

The energy around them hand changed, that much Sakura could tell for sure. Perhaps Naruto was oblivious to it but she wasn't. She could feel the shift in the air, almost taste it at the tip of her tongue. She shifted uncomfortably on her feet and plastered a smile to her face in hopes of breaking the tension that had settled around them.

"How rude of me." she started. "Allow me to introduce you. Diarmuid, this is Sasuke-kun. He's on the same team as Naruto, Sai, Kakashi-sensei and I."

Diarmuid merely nodded, his eyes never straying from the boy.

The pink-haired woman breathed out shakily. She just wanted to bolt and go hide under her covers for the rest of the day. "Sasuke-kun, this is Diarmuid. He's a really close friend of mine from Rock. He's been living with me for the past couple of months."

"Hn." answered Sasuke in his familiar Uchiha way and rested his hand on the hilt of his sword before meeting Diarmuid's golden gaze. "Training Ground 7. Fight me."

 **TBC**

 **Hey guys! How are you?**

 **This chapter came faster than the previous one, as promised. I'm feeling much better now. Thank you all for your support and your kind words. As far as this chapter is concerned, not much is happening in terms of action but it does explore a bit deeper into our heroes' feelings. A pretty good example is Diarmuid's inward confession that 'his feelings as a man (meaning his feelings for Sakura) are stronger than his knightly code', showing just how far they've come and how much she means to him. Also, Diarmuid is referring to Sasuke as 'boy' or 'kid' in order to show that he doesn't think highly of a man that could just abandon and hurt a woman like that (especially since this is Sakura we are talking about).**

 **I hope you liked the chapter. Your reviews make me happy. Also, if you notice any mistakes, please do tell me so I can correct them and become a better writer. So, please READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	16. Chapter 16

Sakura bit her lip anxiously, tasting her blood on her tongue as her teeth tore her flesh. _'Why the hell did this have to happen?'_ she thought, bordering to hysteria. _'Why did Sasuke have to go and challenge Diarmuid to a fight?'_ Was there even a valid reason? Did he just want to establish his superiority because for some unexplained reason Diarmuid's presence made him feel threatened? _'But this is Sasuke we are talking about. I doubt he has ever felt threatened by anyone, what with his superiority complex.'_ she thought, trying to make heads or tails of this whole situation.

She glanced at her silent teammate, standing alone on the other side of Training Grounds 7, and then shifted her gaze to the tall brunet on her left. He had his arms crossed across his chest and his eyes closed, almost as if he was meditating. Perhaps he was. He seemed calm despite the situation, though she wasn't all that surprised by that. He used to be a knight, a warrior just like she was. What puzzled her was the barely-there, but still visible smile on his face. He seemed content, almost happy.

Hesitantly, she placed her hand on his bicep. "Diarmuid, you don't have to do this. Sasuke's just being unreasonable. Let me handle him."

Her touch along with her voice brought him back from his previous thoughtful state and his smile widened when his eyes fell on her face. "Of course I have to do this, Sakura. I'm a knight. On my honor, I have to accept this challenge."

She tightened her fingers around his bicep. "But you don't! You don't have to be a knight here. You can be normal. You don't have to put your life in danger…." she trailed off, her voice becoming barely a whisper, but his ears still caught her words.

The man's smile softened and he took her hand in his. "Knighthood lies above eternity, Sakura. It's transcendent. It doesn't matter where I go, until the day I draw my last breath, I'll always be a knight." He cupped her cheek, drawing circles with his thumb on her skin. "And all knights must bleed, Sakura. It's the seal of our honor."

"But I don't want to see you bleed…"

"Your concern flatters me, my lady. But I do wonder. Is your teammate so powerful or is your faith in me so little?" he said jokingly, making her head snap back to meet his eyes.

"No! Don't ever think that!" she answered almost sharply. "But Diarmuid…..you have no idea what Sasuke can do. You don't know how ruthless he can become. Don't do this, please." she said pleadingly, hoping against hope that he'd listen and step back. It wasn't that she didn't trust him because she did. She trusted him with her life. It was Sasuke that she was worried about. It was pretty obvious that the Uchiha wanted to prove something and more often than not, that something was his superiority to others. She had no idea what had driven her old teammate to challenge the brunet to a duel and honestly, she didn't care. She just wanted this to be over so she could return home with Diarmuid.

"You do realize that he and I share that advantage, right?" he reasoned. "He doesn't know what I'm capable of either."

"I know, but that doesn't make me worry any less!" Sakura sighed deeply. This wasn't going anywhere. Diarmuid didn't know Sasuke the way she did. She knew what he was capable of. As skilled as Diarmuid was, he was no shinobi. He had no idea what he was getting into, though she wasn't going to tell him that lest he doubted her faith in him. There was no other way. Should it look like things were getting out of hand, she'd have to step in and to hell with both men's pride. She'd rather have them complaining than bleeding.

"Is there anything I can do?" she asked with a sigh, knowing perfectly well that there really wasn't. _'Damn you Sasuke for being so stubborn. And damn you Diarmuid for being so honorable.'_ She saw his eyes light up at her words.

"Actually, there is." he replied with a smile, and startled her by freeing her hair of the red ribbon keeping it in place. He traced her bangs with his fingers and pulled the red fabric, holding it in his hand gently. "A token of good luck from milady. The fair maiden was usually the one to give such a gift to a knight, but I guess we are entitled to some alterations of the tradition."

His grin was wide and cheeky, unlike his usual soft smiles and for the first time Sakura realized that Diarmuid was excited. She should have seen it sooner. The man was brimming with excitement. His muscles were tense, not in a way that showed anxiousness, but fully battle-ready. His eyes were burning, golden and bright and hungry for action. Sakura had only known the docile side of Diarmuid, it was the side that she got to see every day. But this…..This was something else. She tended to forget that like her, Diarmuid was a warrior. She knew how it felt to be away from battle for so long that she'd find herself craving the thrill of an ambush by rogues or a solo assassination mission in Sound. She was a healer though. While not quite the same, her work at the Hospital could compensate to a certain degree. But Diarmuid….He was warrior, but he hadn't felt anything remotely close to the thrill of battle in Gods knew how long. She knew how it was. It was like being robbed of your very nature.

She'd never seen this side of the man and it'd be a lie to say that it didn't make her insides flutter and grow warm. It was fascinating, seeing him so exhilarated. She'd never before seen him so alive, so breathtakingly beautiful. She could feel the anticipation rolling off him in waves, conveying to her only a fraction of his actual restlessness. His fingers were itching to grab Gae Dearg. Even the spear seemed alive, almost as if it had a pulse of its own. Gae Dearg had stayed away from its master and from battle for far too long. But now they were united again and in Sakura's eyes, both spear and man had a unique glow about them.

Diarmuid kissed the red fabric, making Sakura think of things she'd read as a kid in story books and fairy tales, and tied it around the spear's head, right below Gae Dearg's pointed end. His movements were graceful, executed in perfect harmony, almost in a religious way and the pink-haired woman wondered if it was something he'd done before. She watched him as he walked forward, heading to the middle of the training grounds where Sasuke was already waiting for him, looking as nonchalant and indifferent as ever.

Diarmuid stared his opponent down for a moment. There was arrogance in the boy's gaze and a sense of vanity. Diarmuid had witnessed men meet their downfall because of that. He grabbed Gae Dearg in his hand and rested his forehead against the spear's intricately carved shaft. He closed his eyes, praying for the strength to face his opponent and for a fair fight.

"It's you and me again, old friend." he whispered and unwrapped the purple talisman cloth from around the great red spear. The air around him seemed to sizzle as Gae Dearg's restrains fell away with the purple cloth, its red glow intensifying.

Sakura had never seen either Diarmuid or Gae Dearg in action, but it'd be a lie to say that she didn't feel even in the least intimidated by the sight of them together. The spear seemed crafted to be held by the brunet's hands while Diarmuid himself looked confident and at ease, as if he was where he was supposed to be. In that frozen second between stand off and fighting, Sakura saw Diarmuid's eyes flick from his opponent to her accompanied by a grin that enclosed all of his captivating boyish charm.

At first, there was stillness on both sides. Then suddenly movement, so much force in every blow. The first clash of Gae Dearg with Sasuke's Kusanagi created what Sakura could only describe as a sonic wave, a gust of powerful wind that almost pushed her back and made her ears ring. She had to close her eyes for a moment and reopened them to the sight of Diarmuid and Sasuke engaged in furious combat.

She gasped in both worry and amazement, realizing that she hadn't given her attractive roommate enough credit. He was swift on his feet and his movements were fluid and graceful and precise, telltales of a man trained and hardened in the fires of many battles. The Kusanagi's shiny blade seemed to pale in comparison to the magnificence of Gae Dearg's red glow.

Diarmuid avoided a swing to the head, thrusting his sear upwards, aiming for Sasuke's stomach. The dark-haired boy avoided it, jumping over the spear-wielder's head, giving Diarmuid a clear look of the spinning comas in his scarlet eyes in the process.

Sasuke's fingers flew through the hand sighs and within seconds, balls of fire were shot towards the brunet. Diarmuid avoided them without effort, not in the least impressed by the display. He'd seen far worse during the Holy Grail War. It was clear to him that his opponent was sizing him up, trying to push him enough for him to reveal his skills. He narrowed his eyes.

Sasuke was strong. It'd be a lie to say otherwise. He was strong and fast and exceptionally skilled with a sword. There was also something going on with his eyes. A couple of hours back the boy's eyes were black as night, but now there were the color of blood. Superior eyesight like his own, perhaps? That could be a problem. If both sides shared that strength then it'd do neither of them any good.

Diarmuid dodged the sword aiming for his neck, his spear clashing with the blade. Sasuke pushed harder on his sword, hoping to overpower his opponent, though he failed. The brunet wouldn't budge. With impressive strength that his opponent wasn't prepared for, Diarmuid swung Gae Dearg, throwing Sasuke back. The dark-haired shinobi landed on his feet, masking his surprise, and propelled himself forward, sword poised to tear through the brunet's side. He just barely managed to nick the man's skin before another swing of the red spear made him fall back in order to avoid an otherwise devastating blow to the head that would have definitely knocked him unconscious.

Even though it wasn't a battle to the death, both sides were eager to prove their superiority.

Sasuke's spinning eyes locked with Dirmuid's burning golden gaze and he gathered his chakra, intending to throw the man into a genjutsu that would no doubt win him the match. When his opponent showed no sign of disorientation or even slight loss of focus, Sasuke couldn't help the bewilderment from showing on his face at the realization that his genjutsu had no effect whatsoever on the brunet.

' _What the hell?'_ he thought, angling his sword to dodge a dangerous thrust of that monstrous red spear. _'How is it possible?'_ He'd have to have a serious conversation with his pink-haired teammate about who her peculiar 'friend' was. He jumped in the air, bringing his sword down, but the brunet avoided it and his blade left a big slash in the soil.

For the next half hour, Training Ground 7 echoed with the sounds of clashing steel and the sizzle of chakra. Sasuke had managed to make a small slash on Diarmuid's cheek and another one on his bicep, but other than that his opponent seemed completely unfazed.

During their fight, the Uchiha had developed a loathing, but at the same time an overwhelming curiosity for that red spear that seemed to glow brighter with each passing minute. It also appeared that his Sharingan eyes were of little use. Whoever the other man was, his reactions to attacks were almost as instantaneous as his own, indicating some sort of enhanced eyesight similar, but not quite the same, to the Sharingan. Interesting since he was not aware of any other eye-related kekkei-genkai other that the Sharingan, the Rinnengan and the Byakugan.

Sasuke's gaze hardened in annoyance and anger. This shouldn't have gotten so long. He hadn't gone all-out, but he suspected his opponent hadn't either. He needed to finish this quick and clean.

Similar thoughts were running through Diarmuid's head as well. While the boy had proven quite a challenge, this was dragging on longer than he had expected. Somehow, he had to put an end to this. As pleasing as it was to battle after so long, there was a lady anticipating his safe return and he was loathe to make her wait. Diarmuid picked up the change in the air as his opponent's energy spiked. The tall spear-wielder rearranged his footing, steading himself and preparing Gae Dearg for the collision that was sure to follow, judging by the dark-haired boy's body posture. The brunet concentrated on his connection with his spear, strengthening that line that kept the two operating like one, almost like a living organism.

Lightning started to gather around Sasuke, flowing through his body to his blade in his signature move. Diarmuid watched him carefully as his opponent flexed his blade, posing it for what was sure to be a devastating attack. The brunet positioned himself in a way that left as little of his body uncovered as possible and tightened his grip on his spear.

Sasuke flew forward at breakneck speed, almost a blur of bright, sizzling light. Diarmuid maintained his footing, his superior eyesight allowing him to see his opponent despite the Uchiha's amazing velocity.

30 feet….

Diarmuid narrowed his eyes.

22 feet…..

Sasuke angled his lightning-engulfed blade.

13 feet….

The brunet raised his spear, its tip shinning under the light.

3 feet…..

The lightning around Sasuke brightened and Gae Dearg's red glow flared violently. A roar traveled through the training grounds, followed by the resounding echo of a loud _'crack.'_

Sakura gasped when bright light engulfed the two men, obscuring her view of them. Her heart raced as she waited for the dust to settle. The pink-haired girl held her breath, fighting the urge to run over there and make sure that both men weren't severely hurt.

"Sasuke-teme?! What the hell?!"

Naruto's befuddled cry made her furrow her brow and she squinted her green eyes, hoping to see a bit better through the cloud of dust and dirty still floating around them. When she finally managed to get sight of them, she gasped loudly in bewilderment.

For there, before the very disbelieving eyes of all spectators, stood Sasuke staring unblinkingly at the broken blade of Kusanagi. He raised his abysmal onyx eyes to his opponent, who was standing across from him, staring back at him with that monstrous red spear held in his hand.

"I think this is enough." Diarmuid bowed in respect. "Thank you for the fair fight." he said earnestly. "I ask you to forgive me. I did not mean to damage your sword. I will have it fixed as soon as possible."

Sasuke picked up the broken shard of Kusanagi and turned his gaze to the other man once more. "Hn. Don't bother. I'll fix it myself." he replied and though his words sounded as arrogant as ever, he nodded at the brunet before turning his back to leave. Sakura's interesting friend wasn't a shinobi for sure, but he was skilled and skill was something Sasuke knew to appreciate. Eventually, he'd get the chance to catch his pink-haired teammate alone and ask her some questions about her guest. He wasn't worried about his blade. The Kusanagi was a chakra-fusible weapon. A couple of hours of feeding the broken parts with his chakra and it'd be as good as new.

Diarmuid couldn't hide his excitement. He'd gone so long without feeling the thrill of battle that the adrenaline pumping through his veins was like a drug. It was liberating. He felt as if his warrior side had been woken after years of deep slumber. Up until then, he hadn't realized how much he had truly missed fighting. It was exhilarating. He glanced at Gae Dearg and couldn't help the smile that rose to his lips.

"Thank you." he whispered, sending a silent prayer to Gods and thanking them for giving him the strength to fight. He raised his head and looked at Sakura to see her staring at him from across the training grounds. He grinned at her widely and waved. He saw her shake her head at him and he chuckled. He'd bet that she was rolling her green eyes right that instant. Sighing contently to himself, he walked up to her.

"My lady." he greeted, making a show of bowing.

She slapped his bicep in response.

"Ouch! What was that for?" he complained, rubbing the spot.

"That's for making me worry!" she shot back, though she was feeling more playful than annoyed.

"Oh? Is that so? Then by all means, please milady, forgive your humble knight for causing you distress." he replied with a grin.

Sakura huffed playfully. "As if I'd ever chose a knight like you!"

"You wound me."

"I'm sure you'll live, you thick-skulled man."

"You concern is touching." Comented Diarmuid. "So, how was it?"

Knowing that he was referring to their battle, Sakura smirked inwardly. "Meh, it was good I guess."

Diarmuid raised an eyebrow. "Good? Is that all?"

The pink-haired woman turned to walk away, all the while focusing on her nails as if they were the most important thing in the world. "Well, yeah. It was good, but to be honest, I've seen better."

"Oh, come on!"

Sakura just giggled.

 **TBC**

 **Hey guys! How are you? I know it's been a while and I'm so sorry for that, but I've been pretty busy lately. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

 **A few clarifications. Perhaps some of you were displeased by the breaking of Kusanagi, but as stated above, it will be fixed. Also, perhaps some of you were also displeased by the fact that Gae Dearg was pictured a bit stronger than you are used to. If you've only watched the anime, then I don't blame you. But the truth is, as great as the anime is, it does Gae Dearg little justice. In the anime, Gae Dearg isn't really known for its destructive power. The actual legend of Diarmuid though, states that Gae Dearg was god-made and was actually superior to Gae Buidhe in power. That's why Diarmuid only used Gae Dearg in life and death situations. I don't know if you guys think it's cool, but I like using things from the actual legend of Diarmuid. It's far more interesting and does the character a lot more justice than the anime.**

 **To explain things a bit better, if you've watched the anime then you should be aware that Gae Dearg has the ability to render all magical enhancements and projections useless by severing all ties with magical energy. In this story, chakra will be pictured a lot like, but not quite the same, as the magic in Fuyuki City. The reason the Kusanagi broke was because Gae Dearg's ability nullified Sasuke's lightning jutsu, thus leaving the sword vulnerable.**

 **As far as the fight is concerned, it wasn't that intense since it was merely a spar, but it was enough to show that Diarmuid is a capable and skilled warrior. He has managed to earn some respect from Sasuke.**

 **I hope you liked it! Can't wait to hear what you people have to say!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	17. Chapter 17

She found the mission scroll on her nightstand. An ANBU had most likely dropped it off while she was downstairs preparing breakfast for Diarmuid and herself. Probably either Naruto or Kakashi since the traps on her window would have alerted her of any other chakra signature entering her house. She was surprised the blonde moron hadn't thrown a fit about their living arrangements, gods knew he did that whenever he got the chance.

Burning the scroll after reading it-it was standard procedure; only the mission leader kept their scroll intact-she immediately started packing for the week-long mission to Wave. It really was nothing out of the ordinary. Just a simple escort mission. She was sent more as reassurance to their client than anything else. They weren't expected to meet trouble, anyway.

Throwing the necessities in her travel pack, she went through her weapons to make sure that everything was in place before securing her pouch on her waist. Taking one last look at her room, she descended the stairs to find Diarmuid cleaning the table and putting the dishes in the sink. Really, that….domesticated look did wonders to him.

He heard her coming down and they met halfway, finding themselves in the living room. "Going somewhere?"

"I've been called in for a mission. I'll be gone for a week or so."

"Oh." he said disappointed since he had planned on spending the whole day with the pink-haired woman and maybe pick up where they had left off a week ago with Sasuke's arrival. Another week of waiting was a long time. "That's kind of unexpected. What did they call you in for? Aren't doctors supposed to stay near the Hospital in case of emergency?"

The pink-haired woman chuckled. "I'm a combat medic. I might work well in a building full of medical equipment but I work better out in the field."

"A combat medic?" he wondered in confusion.

Sakura rubbed the back of her head nervously. Now, she really hadn't told him everything about her profession and it would be a lie to say that she wasn't even a little bit worried about his reaction. "Well, you could say I serve a dual purpose."

"Oh? And what kind of purpose is that?"

"My job is to keep my teammates alive. Also, if the situation calls for it, I'm responsible for eliminating the enemy."

"Eliminate the enemy….." His eyes widened as he looked at her. "You are meant to kill?"

"Well, yeah." A feeling of dread overcame her at the direction this conversation was heading in. Judging by the expression on his face, things had just gone downhill.

"But why? Why would you chose to take on a mission like that?"

"I don't choose my missions. I'm assigned to them by my leader. I don't mind it, actually. I enjoy travelling; it's refreshing after so long of only working at the Hospital. Not to mention, being out in the field pays better than staying in the village."

His body froze at her words and so did his eyes. "So this…..You're doing this for gain? You kill people….for money?"

Sakura frowned. "I'm a shinobi. It's part of the job. That's what we do. That's what I do."

Diarmuid clenched his fists and averted his eyes from her face. "Disregarding human life for personal gain…That's dishonorable. That's disgusting." Memories from his own spear being plunged through his body flashed through his mind and he gritted his teeth.

His words stung her more than she cared to admit. Putting on a brave face to hide how much his words had really hurt, she scowled. "I'm sorry to disappoint to you, but that's my life, whether you like it or not."

"I thought you were different. In the end, you are just like them." His voice was cold and void of emotion.

Knowing full well who he was referring to with the word 'them', Sakura bit her lip to keep herself from yelling out in frustration. "Is that how little you think of me? Even after all this time of knowing me…..Do you really see me as nothing but a cold-blooded killer?"

"What difference does it make?" he said, his body rigid and his eyes as cold as steel. "You talked about duty, about honor. Where's your honor now, Sakura? Where's the honor in taking lives for the sake of money?"

She gritted her teeth and snapped her head up, her green eyes blazing like hellfire. "What do you want me to say? That I was forced into this? That I had no other choice? Well, I can't! Because I had a choice. And I chose this. I chose to become what I am."

In two long strides he covered the distance between them and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Why?" he growled in her face. "Why chose this? A life of bloodshed, a life of dishonor…"

"Dishonor? Should I really be ashamed of protecting my people? Making sure that my village survives…..Is it really such a terrible disgrace?" She stared deeply into his eyes that were alight with a scorching red flame. "Are you so different? Did you not kill too? Were you not feared by your enemies? Did you not bring death?"

He let go of her shoulders as quickly as he had grabbed them, as if her words alone had burned him. "I was a knight! I had a cause!"

The pink-haired woman growled angrily. "What cause?" she snarled. "In your world, one man's vanity and thirst for power is a cause? Does your title as a knight justify every life you've taken? Are you really so different? The fact that I'm no knight, that I follow no King that wears a crown or sits a throne….Does that make me a murderer?"

His back was turned to her so he never saw the pain flash across her face. "You want to know the truth and that's all I'll give you." she said, steeling herself for whatever was to follow. "The truth is that I was raised to kill, groomed ever since I was a child to become the perfect mercenary. I've killed thousands. I have watched even more die. And given the choice I would choose the same path all over again. Because it gave me the means to protects those close to my heart. Because it gave me a cause. Because it forced me to look life in the eyes and see it for what it is; a never-ending struggle to preserve everything that's good inside of me."

She turned her back to him, unable to look at him anymore, unable to see him walk away from her. _'Like so many others have done in the past…In the end, I will only ever look at their backs as they leave…..'_ She clutched the place her heart was supposed to be, wondering if there even was any piece of her heart left in her chest. "Do you want to know why I became a medic? Do you want to know why I've dedicated my life to helping others?" She was glad that no one was there to see her break piece by piece as the man unwittingly tore her heart to shreds. She felt so vulnerable, so weak…

She took a deep breath to stabilize her voice and blinked back her tears. "Yes, it was because I wanted to be useful to my team, because I wanted to protect them. But I thought that it would also lessen my guilt over the lives I've cut short. I thought that helping save lives would balance out all the others I've taken."

She glanced outside her window, noticing the sun rise in the sky. She had to be at the Gates soon. She sighed deeply. "Do not expect me to say that I regret my actions because I don't. Every life I've taken, every enemy shinobi I've struck down was another Konoha citizen that saw the light of another day. It was another man that returned home to his wife and children. That's how my world works. That's how it has always worked."

His silence, that cold rejection, pained her more than anything he could have said. She would have preferred it if he had shouted at her. He could have cursed her, blamed everything on her, told her he hated her. Every single one of those would have been better than…..this. This gut-wrenching apathy.

She walked forward and grabbed the door knob, her steps echoing profoundly in the deathly silent room of a house that used to be full of genuine laughter. She released a shaky breath and her lips pulled into a watery smile though he couldn't see it. "No, I regret nothing. And if I ever die in battle, I will die with a smile on my face, knowing that I did my duty and that I protected my precious people. Farewell, Diarmuid."

And just like that she was gone, like the eerie presence of a nymph that left nothing but memories behind her, just a notion that she had actually been there at all. An ethereal faery like those that ruled Irish folklore, a being that just barely tempted you with her presence before disappearing, leaving you longing to catch another glimpse of her magic. And suddenly the house was suffocating, closing in on him, restraining his breathing, twisting his gut and pulling his heart out of his chest.

He sank to his knees, head in his hands as his conversation with the pink-haired woman replayed in his head over and over again like a broken record.

' _Are you so different? Did you not kill too?'_ Her words echoed in his mind. _'Should I feel ashamed of protecting my precious people?'_

He clenched his fists in his hair, knowing deep down that she was right. There was no difference between them. No, he was worse than her. She fought and killed for the sake of her people, for the lives of those she loved. What had he fought for? A Master? Fionn, who had left him to die? Kayneth, a man so obsessed with overruling everyone during the Fouth Holy Grail War in order to fulfil his own selfish desires and satisfy his insatiable greed, a man who had ordered him to kill himself with his own spear out of jealousy? Where was the honor in serving men no more virtuous than a rock? Was he really anything other than a tool?

' _I called her a killer, a murderer…What does that make me?'_

He could feel pain scorching his insides, traveling through his veins like liquid fire, leaving nothing but barren ground behind it. Oh how he had hurt her…..He released a pained sigh and seriously contemplated running after her but knew that it would be in vain. She was long gone. In all his years, he had never felt so alone, so desperate and hopeless.

He rose from his position on the floor and glanced outside the window, towards the woods she had found him in, praying to the Fates to keep her alive, to return her back to him. He would beg on his knees for forgiveness, he would beg her not to cast him out of her life. He would beg her to keep showing her love to him.

' _Bring her back. Bring her back and not a day will pass that I won't show her what she really means to me…'_ One week was all that separated him from having her at arm's reach once more. _'She has to come back, she has to…..'_

Only she didn't. She returned neither the week she was supposed to nor the week after that.

 **TBC**

 **Hey guys! How are you?**

 **Things have grown really intense between our two heroes as Sakura departs on her week-long mission. This terrible fight between them actually made Diarmuid think back on a few things and events in his life. A lot of drama here, for sure. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please tell me what you think.**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	18. Chapter 18

The house was dark.

Diarmuid sat in the kitchen, staring at the place she once stood and clutching a red ribbon. It was the ribbon Sakura used to keep her pink locks out of the way while cooking. He brought it to his lips, planting a soft kiss on the faded fabric. It still had her scent on it, a mix of vanilla and honey. He liked it much better when she was there to smell it on her hair.

The rays of the rising sun filtered through the window and Diarmuid realized that another night of not a wink of sleep had gone by. Another night and no sign of Sakura. She should have been home by now. Her mission should have ended a week and a half ago.

' _Then where is she? Why isn't she back?'_

He glanced around the kitchen and for a moment he allowed himself to drown in the memories of Sakura and himself in this room. They were all happy ones, filled with color and light and the walls bouncing with laughter. Memories of days spent sharing stories, dwelling in each other's pasts, getting to know each other better, intimately.

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. It seemed that frustrated was all he was these days. He glanced at Gae Dearg, resting peacefully against the wall on his right, wrapped tightly in the purple talisman cloth. Even that he owed to the pink-haired woman.

He could recall his younger self wishing for the thrill of battle, courting war and relishing in the sounds of arrows and spears and swords whistling around him, of thundering hooves as his fellow knights' war steeds trampled their enemies as they went; a battle cry that used to be music to his ears. He could still remember how he had wished for an honorable death in battle, surrounded by clashing swords and stretched bow strings and the magnificence of light reflecting on polished steel.

Now…..Now, all he wished for was her safe return. To have her at arm's reach once more, laughing and teasing and loving and sharing their lives with one another.

Gods, he missed her….

The house no longer had that inviting air about it, it no longer provided that familiar comforting warmth. It was cold and dark, suffocating like a prison. He kept it clean though and every evening there were two plates on the dinner table. In case she came back.

Only she didn't.

Every night he walked past her bedroom and glanced inside in case by some miracle she was there sleeping, hugging her pillow and waiting for him to pull her discarded covers over her body. And every night he had to face the fact that she wasn't there. She was the only one he had left. The one person he could still hold onto, a purpose in his life.

' _Why do the Fates hate me so?'_

He didn't know where to turn. Both her teammates and her sensei were with her and he knew none of her other friends. He wasn't particularly fond of that other Uchiha kid but he would have gone to him willingly had he known anything and had he not been on a mission of his own, away from the village and any news on the young woman. He had no way of contacting her and there was no one that could give him even the tiniest bit of information, something to rekindle his hope.

What if she was hurt? What if something horrible had happened? What if she was…..

' _No! This is Sakura. She isn't dead. She can't be….'_

Naruto was there with her, right? He would protect her if the situation called for it, right? The blond had proven how overprotective he was of the pink-haired woman, how much he cared for her well-being. By why did that thought offer him no solace at all?

' _Because I'm not there…They might be, but I'm not.'_

He was sure that Sakura could take care of herself. He knew that she was more than capable of keeping herself alive. But that knowledge brought him no comfort. For even the mightiest met their match at some point. He only prayed that it wasn't Sakura's time to meet hers.

He was not blind to the dangers; he had faced more than his fair share of them. A warrior's path was a dangerous one, riddled with death and peril. It had never occurred to him that Sakura could be leading such a life. Her sunny smile, her soft pink hair and her sparkling emerald eyes were so in contrast to what he pictured a warrior looked like…And yet he couldn't deny that she had everything that made a true warrior who they were. Skill, spirit, power of will….She was dedicated and loyal to a fault. He really should have seen it earlier.

Diarmuid sighed, wishing he could pour every single one of his worries in that blow of air and be rid of them. He stood and left the dark kitchen, grabbing Gae Dearg along the way and walked through an equally dark living room. He ascended the stairs, the creaking of the wooden boards under his feet echoing profoundly in the silent house.

He needed a few hours of sleep to clear his mind and get his thoughts straight. Exhausting himself would neither ease his mind nor bring Sakura back. He was sure that she'd hate to see him with dark circles under his eyes and dead on his feet from lack of sleep. He knew that he'd get an earful if she ever found out that he had kept himself up for days waiting for her to return. The prospect of a scolding had never seemed more appealing.

He passed by her room and he dared take his ritualistic peek through the ajar door, mostly to make sure that once she returned, she would find everything the way she had left it. In a way, the room seemed as if she had never left. The covers were thrown aside as if she had woken up that morning in a haste and the curtains were pulled to the side. Sakura loved to wake up to the view of the sunrise.

He averted his gaze, the image causing his gut to clench painfully.

He walked to his room and left the door open. He had to be sure that he'd hear her when she returned. He placed Gae Dearg beside his bed. It seemed that even his old companion couldn't bring his heart peace these days. He threw his clothes aside, pulling on the pair of pants he used for sleeping. His own curtains were drawn and the room was dark. He laid on his back, for a while staring at the ceiling.

He sighed deeply and pulled the covers over him, turning his back to the door. Sleep evaded him for a couple of hours before he finally surrendered himself to the darkness, all the while clutching Sakura's red ribbon….

XxxOxOxOxxX

He woke up to insistent pounding on the door. He shot up from bed, his heart momentarily fluttering at the thought that Sakura was back, but his hope was quickly squashed. The young medic had keys to the house.

Throwing on a shirt and grabbing his spear, he ran down the stairs and threw open the door, almost dislocating it from its hinges.

He found himself face to face with a young boy in his early teens that he didn't recognize. "May I help you?"

"You are requested at the Hospital immediately. Hokage-sama demands it." said the boy, eyeing the intimidating length of Gae Dearg held in the older man's hand.

A feeling of dread overcame Diarmuid. "Do you by any chance know why?"

The boy hesitated, as if choosing his words carefully. "Forgive me, sir. I'm not at liberty to say. Please, proceed to the Hospital at once."

The older man frowned but nodded. "Thank you for informing me."

The boy bowed in respect before running off, jumping from rooftop to rooftop until he disappeared completely in the distance.

Throwing on a shirt, Diarmuid pulled on his combat boots and was out of the house within minutes after the boy's departure, falling into a brisk walk towards the Hospital. His heart was pounding in his chest, echoing profoundly in his own ears. What reason could the Hokage possibly have to demand his presence? He did not mingle with her shinobi, had no role in the village other than being Sakura's guest. His existence in Konoha was as discreet as it could get. He bothered no one and nobody bothered him. Sakura had made sure of that.

There was only one person he and Konoha had in common and that person had pink hair and green eyes. He felt fear grow inside him as his mind conjured up everything that could have gone wrong during the woman's mission. There was urgency in the message that boy had delivered and the spear-wielder quickened his pace to a light sprint. The quicker he found out what the commotion was about the better. His mind tormented him enough with less than hopeful thoughts and images. For the sake of his own sanity, he needed to know the truth. For better or for worse, that remained to be seen.

He walked into the Hospital with an urgency in his step that left no room for questions, bypassing the clerk, Chiyoko, at the front desk. He could hear voices coming from around the corner and he found himself looking at a number of disoriented medics, frantically running around the floor.

He frowned and placed his hand on a young nurse's shoulder that was about to brush past him. "What the hell is going on?"

The nurse looked up at him with a small squeak, surprised by the sudden appearance of the handsome stranger. For some reason, the expression on his face compelled her to answer. "A team just c-came back from a m-mission. The three of them are severely hurt but they'll survive. The fourth though is in c-critical condition." she managed to stutter out, intimidated by the intensity of the man's red gaze.

Diarmuid thanked her hastily and left her to her devices, hurrying up the corridor towards the commotion. The doctors were so lost in their panic that nobody cared enough to tell him that he was not allowed in the ICU. The doors to three rooms were open, medics coming and going at an alarming number. The people in the first two rooms he couldn't see, though he could hear the doctors talking, something along the lines of 'stabilized for now', 'in need of more blood' and 'the female received most of the damage.'

His temples were pounding and he felt his blood freeze in his veins at those words. Gut-wrenching fear gripped him and he hurriedly pushed through the people in order to reach the third room. Above the shoulders of half a dozen frantic nurses, he took a look inside.

He wished he hadn't.

She was placed on a bed with what seemed like a hundred tubes sticking out of her arms and body. She had slashes and bruises all over her body with an ugly gash running down her abdomen. Her arm was twisted in a peculiar angle, obviously broken. It seemed that there was no part of her that was not covered in blood. Hers, most likely. Even from his position at the door he could tell that she had trouble breathing and her lungs were probably filled with liquid. From what he could hear over the sound of his pounding head, she had cracked ribs and a damaged liver along with a serious concussion. A blonde woman that he recognized as the Hokage from pictures he had seen back home was standing above her, her hands alight with green light and barking orders at those around her.

It was his nightmare all over again. Only this time, there was no way to wake up. She wouldn't be there to embrace him and sooth him. This time his nightmare was his reality. Such a horrible, horrible reality…..

Diarmuid's eyes grew as wide as plates and he took a step back, the world around him growing silent but for the sound of his heart breaking at the sight of her. Someone pushed him on their way out, but he didn't have the power of will to resist. He back-stepped, his back hitting a wall and he sank to the floor, his wide golden eyes unable to look away from the door of the room they had her in. The sound of the machines connected to her echoed profoundly in his ears. It was the most horrible, terrifying sound he had ever had the misfortune of hearing. For the first time in his life, he wished he had died back in Fuyuki.

' _Sakura….no…'_

 **TBC**

 **Oh my, poor Diarmuid!**

 **Hey guys, how are you? Finally managed to post this. Completed it a couple of days ago but with my semester exams I couldn't find the right time to check it and upload it. Anyway, I wanted this chapter to be dark-ish, emotionally charged, kinda angst-y. I wanted to portray Diarmuid's feelings of fear and despair. I hope I managed that. I can't say that this chapter is perfect but I can honestly say that I am pleased with it. I hope you share the sentiment.**

 **Anyway, thank you for your continued support, it means a lot to me! I love you guys! Please, tell me what you think!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	19. Chapter 19

Diarmuid ran his hands through his hair and sighed deeply, staring outside the window of the hallway overlooking the back yard of the Konoha Hospital. It was a nice day, warm and with the sun shining brightly above the heads of the people coming and going.

He hated it.

He wanted the sky to be flooded with black clouds of doom, he wanted the sun to disappear, he wanted the trees to blow their foliage and the flowers to wilt. He wanted it to rain down thunder and fire and turn the Earth to ashes. He wanted the world to mirror his feelings, he wanted it to look as barren as his own soul. To rip buildings apart in a way very similar to how life had torn his heart to pieces, to flood the world until it drowned in the same way grief had flooded his being.

He had always thought that he was well aware of what desperation felt like. He had felt it when Fionn had left to him to die and when Kayneth had ordered him to plunge his own spear through his chest, humiliating him like no other. Only now did he realize that what he had felt back then was nothing compared to this gut-wrenching loneliness, this endless void, this heartbreaking loss of every ray of hope.

Back then, he had been denied loyalty and honor by the people he had sworn to protect and obey. But even then, death had come as a salvation. A way to escape that disgraced reality and spare himself of any more humiliation.

But now even death had betrayed him.

' _Why do the Fates hate me so? Giving me the life I had always dreamed of only to rip it away from me….'_

Not for the first time during the past two weeks he wished he had died back in Fuyuki. He wished that godforsaken scheme of Kiritsugu had worked out and he had ended up in the comforting embrace of eternal sleep with no memory of his previous lifetimes to haunt him.

With no memory of her on that cold bed covered in blood and looking so broken and battered and void of that enlightening spark that filled him with warmth and brought out everything good that remained alive inside him.

Diarmuid gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to punch the wall. He had once heard that physical pain could numb the pain of the heart. But was that even possible? Was there anything that could make him forget about his overwhelming grief even for a second?

The doctors weren't sure whether her life was out of danger yet or not. The Hokage, Tsunade, had made it a habit of spending the better part of the morning administering treatment to her comatose apprentice in hopes that the next day would be the one Sakura woke up. They had healed her wounds and mended the broken bones. They had bandaged the slashes and applied ointments on the bruises. There was nothing physically wrong with her that could justify her comatose state.

' _Then why isn't she waking up….Even now, why does life wish to see me suffer?'_

They still hadn't allowed him to go inside her room, though after two weeks of showing up at the crack of dawn and abandoning his vigil only when Tsunade kicked him out, the nurses and doctors were used to his continued presence. Had it been up to him, he'd have never left the hospital corridor, but the Hokage hadn't been so keen on the idea. He was thankful that the blonde hadn't asked any questions yet. He wasn't sure he'd be in any position to answer.

Hearing approaching footsteps, he turned around to find himself face to face with the aforementioned woman. He bowed his head in greeting, respecting her authority and role as the village leader.

Tsunade sent him a look, nodding in acknowledgement before walking inside the room and shutting the door behind her before he could catch even a glimpse of her. The brunet sighed and turned his attention back to the window. She wouldn't be coming out of that room for at least another three hours.

As the day progressed, doctors and nurses came and went, not paying him any mind and more often than not entering Sakura's room only to exit a few minutes later scribing down notes on charts. He even managed to catch sight of her pink hair and her pale left arm while a nurse was changing her IV, though it did nothing to placate that beast clawing at his gut with the need to go to her and hold her and smell her and never let her go.

It was around noon when someone decided to disrupt his internal turmoil and that disturbance came in the form of Sakura's grey-haired sensei, who had been released from the hospital along with his two other students a couple of days earlier. The man came to stand beside him and for a while they both stared out the window silently, seeking some peace in the sight of some of the youngest patients playing in the yard below.

"Any news on her condition?" asked Kakashi, breaking the heavy silence.

Diarmuid shook his head. "Nothing new."

"I see."

"How is Naruto faring?" asked Diarmuid in order to avoid another suffocating silence, but also out of concern for the younger man. They weren't on the best of terms but there was no malicious intent behind the boy's brash manners. The spear-wielder had seen how broken the usually boisterous youth had looked when he found out about his teammate's condition.

"Not well." answered Kakashi with honesty before turning his visible eye to the brunet. "Though he's faring better than you."

Diarmuid hid his surprise and glanced sideways at the man. He hadn't given Kakashi enough credit. The man had an uncanny ability to read others like open books. "How did it happen, Hatake-san?" he asked, voicing a question that had been plaguing his mind since day one, but that he hadn't dared ask until that moment.

Kakashi sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair, looking tired and older than his age. "The mission was a set-up. During the War, that I'm sure Sakura has told you about, the Sound Village suffered the greatest losses, coming dangerously close to annihilation. They have been trying to secure a deal with the Allied Forces for the past two years."

The grey-haired man took a deep breath, his visible eye getting a far off look as he reminisced. "We were supposed to escort a messenger of Sound until the border with Oto as a sign of good faith. We completed the first part of the mission perfectly and we went on our way as soon as we saw him behind the border. We were half-way to Konoha when we were ambushed."

Diarmuid sucked in a breath. "Ambushed?"

Kakashi nodded. "A team of Sound ninja were waiting for us at a crossroad. It was a clever move. We weren't expecting an attack so deep in Fire Country territory. They caught us off guard and we were outnumbered. A group of them was solely focused on taking down Naruto, but the fighting pattern of the rest of them made no sense. They jumped from one of us to the other, often trying to overwhelm one and leaving the rest open. They were all jounin or above. Sometime during the fight Sai was severely hurt and Sakura was quick to jump to his side. The moment she sprung to action their fighting pattern became clear. They were trying to draw her out. They knew she would be there. The messenger that we escorted probably found a way to notify them that our team would be the one to carry out the mission. She, along with Naruto, had been a target."

Diarmuid's golden eyes widened and he unconsciously clenched his fist around Gae Dearg. "They wanted to kill her…But why?"

The older man nodded. "Retaliation, most likely. A way to nurse their wounded pride. Sakura is a powerful kunoichi, Diarmuid, and her medical prowess is known across the Shinobi Nations, second only to Tsunade-sama herself. She is an invaluable asset to Konoha and the Allied Forces and she played a major role in the War. She has made a name for herself. Their objective was to extract revenge and kill one of Leaf's most powerful shinobi. They knew that losing her would dwell a terrible blow to us. Who knows how many generations will come and go before another shinobi with Sakura's medical prowess is born? Even then, how are we to know that they'll get the right guidance to take advantage of their talents? We don't know if they acted on their own or if they had accomplices. Konoha has no shortage of enemies, that's for certain."

As the older man's words began to sink in, Diarmuid's golden eyes widened. _'Sakura….'_ He had always known that she was talented and very adept at what she did, but he could have never imagined the true extent of her capabilities. And that War…..She had told him some things, mostly about Naruto's struggle, but she had never said much about her own involvement.

' _This means…..This means that no matter where she goes, no matter what she does, her life will always be in danger.'_ Diarmuid sucked in a breath at the thought. _'Every time she walks out of the door could be her last.'_ Emotions flickered like crazy across his face. Realization, desperation, fear, anguish….

The golden-eyed warrior gritted his teeth. _'Curse me! Curse me to hell!'_ he thought. _'To think that the last thing I ever told her was that I thought of her a murderer…'_ He wanted to cut his heart out and rip it to shreds. Anything to get rid of the pain, that scorching fire that burned his insides.

"I…." he started but stopped. He what? What could he possibly say? Was there even anything left to say? Were there words appropriate enough to describe what he was feeling? That abysmal void in his chest…What could he possibly call it?

Diarmuid sighed, his face contorted in an expression of sorrow. "I am a fool and I don't deserve her. I hurt her, Hatake-san. I said things I shouldn't have and put my idea of honor and virtue above her." he confessed, clenching his fists to the point that his knuckles went numb. _'But I shouldn't have. Because there is nothing above her…..No virtue, no honor….Just her.'_

Kakashi remained silent for a while before he turned around, staring down the corridor leading out of the ICU and the Hospital. He took a curt step forward before placing a hand on Diarmuid's shoulder.

"Stand in the ashes of a thousand dead souls and ask if honor matters." said the grey-haired man. "What do they tell you?"

"Nothing."

Kakashi nodded. "The silence is your answer." he said and dropped his hand before walking away, leaving Diarmuid alone to dwell on his words and gather his thoughts.

' _They tell me nothing…..'_

 **TBC**

 **Hey there folks! Sorry for not updating sooner. Kinda had my hands full. I've started a new Naruto/Akatsuki no Yona crossover starring Sakura, so if you are interested, you can go check it out!**

 **Anyway, back to this one. This chapter focuses solely on Diarmuid and his current state. Sorry if you wanted to know more about Sakura's condition, but we'll get to that in the next chapter. Also, it was finally revealed how Sakura was injured. Personally, I wanted her to be at the center of attention of once, even if it was hostile attention. In the manga and anime, everybody is so focused on hunting down Naruto and Sasuke that she gets overshadowed, which is totally unfair and kinda stupid in my opinion, because a medic ninja with Sakura's prowess coupled with her strength and the Seal of a Hundred should be considered a much greater threat.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Leave a review to tell me your opinion. Also, this story is drawing to a close. BUT! I'm already preparing a sequel with many, much more exciting things to come!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


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